The risk of SIDS may be increased by abnormal metabolite concentrations at birth
September 11, 2024
Media Advisory
Wednesday September 11, 2024
An NIH-funded study suggests that metabolic patterns at birth can be used to calculate SIDS risks.
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Atypical metabolic patterns in newborns are more than 14 times more likely to cause sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).SMSInfants with more typical metabolic patterns had lower rates of obesity, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. The body produces molecules called metabolites through chemical reactions. Researchers found that infants with SIDS had a different pattern of metabolites than infants who lived to their first year. Researchers believe this pattern can be used to identify infants who are at high risk for SIDS. Scott Oltman and colleagues at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine conducted the study. The study appears in JAMA Pediatrics.
The researchers compared the newborn screening results of 354 SIDS deaths to those of 1,416 babies who lived at least one year. All newborns are screened for serious illnesses. The test results include metabolites, which are markers indicating disorders or conditions. The study found that infants who had the highest-risk metabolic profile, which included eight metabolites, were 14.4 times more likely to die from SIDS than infants with a lower-risk profile.
Testing metabolic patterns could be a useful way to detect infants who are at high risk for SIDS soon after birth, the authors say. This information could help inform future efforts to reduce SIDS risks. Research into the biochemical pathways linked to SIDS could also provide insights into what causes SIDS and how to reduce its risk. The NIH funded the study. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
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Marion Koso Thomas, MD, Pregnancy and Perinatology Branch, NICHD, is available for comment.
The article below provides more information about the item.
Oltman, S.P. Early Newborn Metabolic Patterning and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome JAMA Pediatrics 2024. DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.3033
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