Abstract
The graduates of neonatal intensive care units (NICU) are a group of high risk infants. Few studies have documented the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in this special group of infants. We decided to document the incidence of SIDS and some risk factors associated with it as part of our High Risk Infant Follow-up Program, since January 1980 to September 1984, 917 infants have been discharged from our NICU. Eight infants died of SIDS during this period with an incidence of 0.87% among total NICU graduates. Further division into birth weight specific SIDS mortality rate revealed 3.8% (2/53) for BW between 500-1000 gm, 2.5% (3/120) for BW between 1001 to 1500 gm, 2.9% (5/173) for BW between 500 to 1500 gm 0.3% (1/348) for BW between 1500 to 2500 gm and 0.5% (2/396) for BW of >2500 gm. Mean age at death was 4 months, ranging from 1 to 6 months of age. Fifty percent of the deaths occurred in the winter season. Significant associated risk factors included low socioeconomic status (75% of SID infants), single mothers (62.5%), and race (50% black, 25% Hispanic, and 25% white). There was an equal distribution of sexes. This study reveals a 4 fold increase in the risk of SIDS in NICU graduates and 15 times increased risk in the VLBW infants of NICU graduates compared to that of general infant population.
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Kamtorn, V., Graber, H., Bautista, A. et al. 551 SUDDEN INFANT DEATH IN INTENSIVE CARE UNIT GRADUATES. Pediatr Res 19, 202 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-00581
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-00581