Fetal hemoglobin levels in sudden infant death syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine and compare fetal hemoglobin levels from infants dying of the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) with aged-matched control infants dying of other causes. Similar previous studies have reported both elevated and normal levels of fetal hemoglobin in whole blood samples from infants dying of SIDS.


METHODS
Triton-acid-urea gel electrophoresis and densitometry were used to determine fetal hemoglobin levels in postmortem whole blood samples from infants dying of SIDS and from appropriately age-matched control infants. Whole blood samples were analyzed blindly and matched for postgestational age. Infant ages at death ranged from birth to less than 1 year.


METHODS
Fetal hemoglobin in whole blood from infants dying of SIDS and control infants.


RESULTS
During the period of postnatal development most associated with SIDS cases (2 to 6 months after birth), fetal hemoglobin levels were found to be significantly elevated in postmortem whole blood samples from SIDS infants compared with gestational age-matched control infants dying of causes other than SIDS.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that levels of fetal hemoglobin are elevated in postmortem whole blood of SIDS infants compared with controls. Furthermore, the apparent conflict in the literature regarding fetal hemoglobin levels in SIDS infants and controls is most likely due to variability in the control data of some studies.
Perry
G W
GW
Center for Complex Systems, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton 33431, USA.
Vargas-Cuba
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Vertes
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D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology
D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin