UCSF researchers come closer to predicting sudden infant death

Researchers at UC San Francisco are getting closer to being able to predict sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

In a study published on September 3 in JAMA PediatricsThey identified signals in the metabolic system of infants who died of sudden infant death syndrome.

Although more research is needed, this could one day help prevent sudden infant death syndrome.

This study suggests that metabolic factors may play a critical role in SIDS. These patterns could help identify children at higher risk and potentially save lives in the future.”

Scott Oltman, MS, epidemiologist at UCSF and lead author of the study

There may not be just one cause of SIDS

Each year, about 1,300 infants under one year of age die of sudden infant death syndrome, and researchers are still not sure what causes these unexpected deaths. What they do know is that several factors are likely involved, including inadequate prenatal care, smoking and alcohol consumption during pregnancy, structural racism, and air pollution. Boys are more likely to suffer from sudden infant death syndrome than girls.

Researchers are turning to biology to search for a cause of sudden infant death that can be detected at birth or treated with medication.

The researchers in this study knew from previous research that the metabolic system – how the body processes and stores energy – may play a role in SIDS. They decided to look more closely at the role of the metabolic system and compared metabolic data from infants collected as part of a routine newborn screening in California. They compared the data from infants who eventually died of SIDS with similar infants who survived.

In the 354 infants who died from SIDS, they found that there were some metabolic biomarkers that may be associated with increased risk. For example, infants with lower C-3 levels and elevated C-14OH levels appear to be at higher risk of dying from SIDS. These findings are consistent with previous research that has found a link between fatty acid oxidation enzymes such as these and SIDS.

The scientists also found several other biomarkers whose increased levels appeared to lead to a lower risk of sudden infant death.

Investigations into the causes of sudden infant death are ongoing

The research is still preliminary and scientists said it needs to be validated in more settings. While this study was conducted using records of infants who have already died, the study authors mentioned that it would be ideal to study infants who are currently alive and follow them as they grow older.

Although the ultimate goal of developing a screening test for SIDS is still a long way off, the development promises future breakthroughs in the prevention of this devastating syndrome.

“This study is a critical step toward integrating metabolic markers with potential genetic markers and other risk factors to better assess the risk of sudden infant death syndrome in infants,” Oltman said.

Next, he and his team plan to study other metabolic markers and their genetic counterparts to see if they can identify more factors that contribute to sudden infant death.