[Home monitoring of infants at risk of sudden infant death: suggestions for reconsideration of current practice].
Considering the decreasing incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and the yet unproven efficacy of home monitoring, current indications for home monitoring should be reconsidered. Documented monitoring still appears to be necessary in infants with apparent life-threatening events (ALTE) and in siblings of two or more SIDS victims. Home monitoring is also indicated in infants on home oxygen/ventilation or with specific respiratory control disorders, but is usually not indicated in asymptomatic preterm infants or in those with a single SIDS sibling, a mother indulging in drug abuse, or increased parental anxiety. The risk of SIDS in these groups is lower than that in infants of mothers who are heavy smokers, who are nowhere regarded as candidates for home monitoring. If monitoring is considered necessary, new generation pulse oximeters with low false alarm rates are probably the safest technical option because they sound the alarm comparatively early, yet do not give too many false alarms. Home monitor recommendations should be revisited, taking the above issues into account.
Poets
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Abteilung für pädiatrische Pneumologie und Neonatologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Bundesrepublik Deutschland. poets.christian@mh-hannover.de
D000367:Age Factors; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D018579:Patient Selection; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013997:Time Factors