title: Fetal hemoglobin levels in sudden infant death syndrome.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Center for Complex Systems, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton 33431, USA.
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vargas-Cuba
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Vertes
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin