Abstract
Summary: In order to test the hypothesis that a defect in cardiorespiratory regulation contributes to death of infants from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), we analyzed the power spectra of heart rate and respiratory activity during 256-sec epochs of quiet sleep. Data were obtained from pneumogram recordings performed for 12 h at night on eight infants who subsequently died from SIDS and 22 age-matched control infants. We computed the heart rate and respiratory power spectra from a single epoch on each infant using an algorithm developed for an 8085 microprocessor system dedicated to this investigation. There was no statistically significant difference between SIDS and controls based on mean respiratory and heart rates. Spectral analysis revealed enhancement of low frequency power in the 0.02 to 0.1 Hz band in the heart rate power spectrum in the SIDS group compared to control (p < 0.002) and dispersion in respiratory frequency as determined by the respiratory band width (p < 0.00001). These data suggest that a predisposition to SIDS manifests itself in an abnormal pattern of fluctuations in heart rate and respiratory activity.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gordon, D., Cohen, R., Kelly, D. et al. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Abnormalities in Short Term Fluctuations in Heart Rate and Respiratory Activity. Pediatr Res 18, 921–926 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198410000-00001
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198410000-00001