Newly Identified Biomarkers to Pave Way for SIDS Screening Test

Approximately 1,300 infants under the age of one die each year from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and researchers still do not fully understand the causes of these unexpected deaths. It is known that multiple factors are likely contributors, including inadequate prenatal care, maternal smoking and alcohol use during pregnancy, structural racism, and air pollution. Male infants have a higher incidence of SIDS compared to females. Scientists are now turning to biological factors in the search for a cause of SIDS that could be identified at birth or targeted with medication. In a new study, researchers have identified signals within the metabolic systems of infants who died from SIDS and believe these metabolic indicators could be key in reducing mortality. While more research is needed, this discovery could one day help prevent SIDS.

In the study, investigators at UC San Francisco (San Francisco, CA, USA) drew on previous research suggesting that the metabolic system—which involves how bodies process and store energy—might play a role in SIDS. They decided to examine this system more closely by comparing metabolic data from infants collected during routine newborn screenings in California. They contrasted the data of infants who eventually died from SIDS with that of similar infants who survived. Among the 354 infants who died from SIDS, they found certain metabolic biomarkers that may be associated with an increased risk. For example, infants with lower levels of C-3 and higher levels of C-14OH appeared to have a greater risk of dying from SIDS. These findings, published in JAMA Pediatrics, are consistent with previous research linking enzymes involved in fatty acid oxidation to SIDS. The scientists also discovered several other biomarkers that, when elevated, seemed to correlate with a reduced risk of SIDS.

The research remains preliminary, and the scientists emphasized the need for validation in additional settings. While this study was conducted using records of infants who had already passed away, the authors noted that it would be ideal to study living infants and follow them as they develop. Although the ultimate goal of creating a screening test for SIDS is still distant, this development indicates the potential for future breakthroughs in preventing this devastating syndrome. The research team plans to next explore other metabolic markers and their genetic counterparts to see if they can identify even more factors contributing to SIDS.

"This study suggests that metabolic factors may play a crucial role in SIDS,” said Scott Oltman, MS, an epidemiologist at UCSF and first author of the study. “These patterns could help identify children at higher risk, potentially saving lives in the future. This study is a critical step toward integrating metabolic markers with potential genetic markers and other risk factors to better assess the risk of SIDS in infants."

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