Lung development linked to cot death
Scientists believe they have found genetic clues behind cot death
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Thursday, 24, Aug 2006 11:58
Abnormal lung development could be responsible for some cases of cot death, a new study has found.
Cot death, or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), is one of the leading causes of death in babies under the age of one, yet the cause remains unclear.
A team of researchers from the University of Manchester analysed the DNA of 25 babies who died of SIDS, looking for abnormalities on five particular genes, and found that babies born with specific variants of three key genes are 14 times more likely to die of SIDS.
Published in the journal Human Immunology and the New Scientist, the scientists believe that the research is a major step forward in understanding why some babies die of SIDS.
"This research greatly advances our understanding of the basic causes of SIDS, which is not a single disease but a collection of different causes of death," said Dr Drucker, who carried out the work in collaboration with paediatric pathologist Dr Anthony Barson.
The genes associated with SIDS - IL-10, IL-6 and VEGF - play a role in the body's immune response to infection. Variants of these genes result in an excessive inflammatory response to bacterial infection, and, in the case of VEGF, could result in poor foetal lung development.
Dr Drucker believes that the research could help to establish the cause of death in some cases.
"Forensic scientists would be able to assess the likelihood of a baby dying from SIDS through genetic measurements and so help prevent the sort of tragic miscarriages of justice that have happened in the past," he said.
The increase in the risk of SIDS is also increased by factors such as smoking and babies' sleeping positions.
Dr Drucker added: "Ultimately, this research will improve our ability to identify in advance which babies will be at risk of SIDS so their mothers can be personally advised to eliminate other risk factors such as dangerous sleeping position for their infant."
George Haycock, scientific director of UK-based research organisation the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths, told the New Scientist magazine: "The finding is interesting, given that the final event in cot death is thought to be termination of breathing, and VEGF is important in lung development.
"But you would probably need some kind of environmental trigger as well."