Abstract
Impaired neuroregulatory responses are suspected to be crucial in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). It has been proposed that elevated endogenous opiates, generally respiratory depressants, might contribute to a vulnerability to SIDS.
We examined met-enkephalin levels in lumbar CSF obtained at autopsy in 35 infants with SIDS and 15 age matched controls dying of other causes. Samples were frozen at -80 C and analyzed by RIA for met-enkephalin like immunoreactivity (MKI). SIDS infants had a greater mean CSF MKI (0.54 pmol/ml) than controls (0.41 pmol/ml) (p=.01). Time from death to autopsy and age, when examined as possible confounding variables, did not contribute to the MKI difference between groups. No subpopulation in the SIDS group were evident relative to MKI.
The effects of death on CSF met-enkephalin levels and the relationship of CSF met-enkephalin to more central levels and effects are unknown. Nevertheless, this study has shown a small, yet statistically significant excess of CSF MKI in SIDS relative to controls. The clinical significance of this finding requires further research.
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Rappaport, L., Kozakewich, H., Fenton, T. et al. CEREBROSPINAL FLUID MET-ENKEPHALIN IN SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME. Pediatr Res 18 (Suppl 4), 231 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00831
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00831