title: Sudden infant death syndrome risk factors with regards to sleep position, sleep surface, and co-sleeping.
abstract: We present a study of 102 Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) deaths using a retrospective review of medical examiner autopsy reports. The prevalence of sleep related risk factors with regards to sleep surface, sleep position, and co-sleeping were determined in a population of infants less than 1-year-old. Of the 102 SIDS deaths, 67 (65.7%) were not in a crib, 63 (61.8%) were prone, and 48 (47.1%) were co-sleeping. However, 94 (92.2%) of these deaths had at least one risk factor present. Only 8 (7.8%) infants had slept alone, in a crib or bassinet, and on their back or side. Infants less than 4-months-old had a higher rate of co-sleeping (54.7%) than the older infants (25.9%), and a higher frequency of heart malformations at post-mortem examination. The older infants were more likely to exhibit pulmonary and tracheal inflammation, and neuropathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Russell T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Radisch
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001344:Autopsy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007249:Inflammation; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011187:Posture; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012890:Sleep; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000209:etiology*; D014133:Tracheal Diseases / Q000473:pathology