Abstract □ 152

Among the risk factors for SIDS, the followings are well recognized : prone position, vagal overreactivity (VOR), prematurity, passive smoking and gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR). The sleeping prone position is the only one to be easily preventable. In the early nineties, information campaigns recommanding to respect the supine position, have dramatically decreased SIDS incidence. In 48 cases of SIDS refered to the children hospital of Nancy between january 1 1994 and november 15 1998, the incidence of these 5 risk factors are analyzed. (Table)

Table 1
Full size table

These data are in agreement with the important reduction in SIDS incidence observed since the organisation of campaigns to support the supine sleeping position. The particular importance to respect this safety sleep position is also pointed out by the absence of any rise, over this 5 years period, of the number of the babies founded dead in supine position, despite the large extension of this sleeping habit. The other risk factors (vagal over réactivity, passive smoking and gastro-esophageal reflux) are observed with a similar incidence over this 5 years period. The prematurely born infants were all founded in prone position. In this study group, 2 or 3 different risk factors are often associated however, the prone (or lateral) position is isolated respectively in 9 and 5 cases for 1994 - 1995 and 1996 - 1998 periods (27% and 30%).

These findings suggest that SIDS incidence, considerably decreased because of a better consideration of the recognized risk factors mentioned above, can still be further reduced if supine position is extensively respected. Information campaigns should be repeated.