Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the most cited cause of infant mortality in the world, with the United States reporting over 1,300 deaths annually from the disorder. Even with advanced diagnostic tools, no clear medical explanation or cause has been found. Despite its prevalence, SIDS has stumped researchers.
New insights from a study led by Scott Oltman, an epidemiologist with the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) California Preterm Birth Initiative, could provide a critical starting point. Published in JAMA Pediatrics, Oltman and the research team identified eight abnormal molecules from newborn blood screenings that were connected to cases of SIDS.
“The results are an important and encouraging start, but we don’t fully understand the relationship between those screening results and SIDS,” says Oltman. “We do know that these associations could be the key to helping us identify newborns for increased vulnerability to SIDS within a few days of birth.”
The study analyzed the metabolic screening data of two million infants born in California between 2005 and 2011. In California, screening for metabolic disorders is part of routine newborn care because it prevents the body from efficiently breaking down sugars, fats, or proteins for energy. By comparing the screening records with those infants that later developed SIDS, the team was able to identify associated metabolic patterns.
The research team emphasizes that while the findings provide a foundation, further investigation is essential to fully understand the relationship between metabolic disorders and SIDS. Currently, Oltman and the team are collaborating with research groups in Iowa and Indiana, as well as with the University of California, San Diego, and Rady Children’s Hospital, to further explore the connection between genetics, metabolic disorders, and SIDS.
There is a need for this research to be taken up by clinical colleagues nationwide and globally, utilizing their own birth data to further refine the research. Finding a cause and possible treatment requires a collaborative effort, one that may finally provide an understanding of SIDS.
