Hong Kong case-control study of sudden unexpected infant death.
OBJECTIVE
To document causes of all unexpected child deaths under 2 years of age during a 4-year period (1999-2003), and to identify factors associated with sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in Hong Kong.


METHODS
The case-control component of the study compared information from SIDS deaths (n=16) with healthy controls (n=223) identified randomly from all births in Hong Kong. Coroner records of all deaths under 2 years of age were later reviewed.


RESULTS
SIDS risk factors included prone sleep position, smoking by mother, bedsharing with someone other than the parents, and baby found with head covered. Eighteen deaths were officially classified as SIDS but, on review of the coroner records, there were 33 potential SIDS deaths (many labelled as unascertained/unknown).


CONCLUSIONS
Hong Kong SIDS incidence has fallen from 0.3/1000 (95% CI: 0.18-0.46 in 1987) to 0.16/1000 (95% CI: 0.11-0.22 in 1999-2002). Despite the small number of cases, key SIDS risk factors are shown to be important in this population. Hong Kong needs to take steps to standardise the investigation and management of these deaths and to establish a child mortality review mechanism to provide feedback to the public, to the health authorities, and to health professionals.
Nelson
Tony
T
Department of Paediatrics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. tony-nelson@cuhk.edu.hk
To
Ka-Fai
KF
Wong
Yuk-Ying
YY
Dickinson
Jim
J
Choi
Kai-chow
KC
Yu
Ly-Mee
LM
Ou
Yvonne
Y
Chow
Chun-Bong
CB
Wong
Eric
E
Tang
Nelson
N
Hjelm
Magnus
M
Chen
Lawrence
L
D017677:Age Distribution; D001724:Birth Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000401:mortality; D011187:Posture; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012890:Sleep; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution