Univariate findings for clinical characteristics of SIDS cases and control infants
| SIDS | Controls | OR (95% CI) | p Value | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | % | n | % | ||||||||
| At birth | |||||||||||
| < 10th birth weight centile | 50/323 | 15.5 | 99/1286 | 7.7 | 2.27 (1.50 to 3.45) | < 0.0001 | |||||
| < 37 weeks' gestation | 63/323 | 19.5 | 70/1288 | 5.4 | 3.44 (2.47 to 4.79) | < 0.0001 | |||||
| Twin or triplet | 17/325 | 5.2 | 12/1300 | 0.9 | 8.27 (3.41 to 20.05) | < 0.0001 | |||||
| Resuscitation required | 25/321 | 7.8 | 24/1281 | 1.9 | 4.11 (2.13 to 7.92) | < 0.0001 | |||||
| Admission to SCBU | 80/323 | 24.8 | 92/1291 | 7.1 | 4.25 (2.91 to 6.21) | < 0.0001 | |||||
| Neonatal problem noted | 83/322 | 25.8 | 143/1291 | 11.1 | 2.72 (1.93 to 3.83) | < 0.0001 | |||||
| Major congenital anomaly | 16/323 | 5.0 | 27/1290 | 2.1 | 2.46 (1.20 to 5.07) | 0.01 | |||||
| Home delivery | 7/318 | 2.2 | 21/1279 | 1.6 | 1.34 (0.48 to 3.31) | 0.67 | |||||
| After hospital discharge | |||||||||||
| On vitamin supplements | 24/323 | 7.4 | 20/1299 | 1.5 | 5.18 (2.58 to 10.40) | < 0.0001 | |||||
| Problem with regurgitation1-150 | 30/316 | 9.5 | 48/1294 | 3.7 | 2.87 (1.68 to 4.90) | < 0.0001 | |||||
| Problem with colic1-150 | 39/317 | 12.3 | 113/1297 | 8.7 | 1.59 (1.03 to 2.44) | 0.03 | |||||
| Problem with weight gain1-150 | 38/314 | 12.1 | 101/1297 | 7.8 | 1.67 (1.08 to 2.59) | 0.02 | |||||
| Problem with illness1-150 1-151 | 60/315 | 19.0 | 156/1296 | 12.0 | 1.75 (1.21 to 2.55) | 0.003 | |||||
| Problem with crying1-150 | 28/315 | 8.9 | 155/1297 | 12.0 | 0.72 [0.46–1.12] | 0.15 | |||||
| Problem with sleeping1-150 | 24/315 | 7.6 | 121/1297 | 9.3 | 0.80 (0.49 to 1.29) | 0.40 | |||||
| Problem with feeding1-150 | 55/316 | 17.4 | 203/1297 | 15.7 | 1.14 (0.81 to 1.59) | 0.50 | |||||
| During life | |||||||||||
| Episode of convulsions1-150 | 11/318 | 3.5 | 12/1299 | 0.9 | 4.49 (1.80 to 11.17) | 0.001 | |||||
| Episode of lifelessness1-150 | 37/317 | 11.7 | 39/1299 | 3.0 | 5.39 (3.11 to 9.34) | < 0.0001 | |||||
| Hospital admission1-150 | 84/321 | 26.2 | 204/1299 | 15.7 | 1.98 (1.43 to 2.74) | < 0.0001 | |||||
| Before death/reference sleep | |||||||||||
| Illness in last week | 84/322 | 26.1 | 228/1299 | 17.6 | 1.64 (1.19 to 2.24) | 0.002 | |||||
| Health poor in last week1-150 | 25/324 | 7.7 | 52/1298 | 4.0 | 2.01 (1.16 to 3.47) | 0.01 | |||||
| Medication in the last week | 176/323 | 54.5 | 653/1299 | 50.3 | 1.17 (0.91 to 1.50) | 0.23 | |||||
| Last 24 hours: Baby Check > 71-150 | 68/318 | 21.4 | 97/1299 | 7.5 | 4.18 (2.73 to 6.19) | < 0.0001 | |||||
| Health poor1-150 | 19/321 | 5.9 | 20/1299 | 1.5 | 4.28 (2.06 to 8.92) | < 0.0001 | |||||
| Sweatier than usual1-150 | 23/317 | 7.3 | 52/1298 | 4.0 | 2.10 (1.18 to 3.72) | 0.01 | |||||
| Fed less frequently1-150 | 42/317 | 13.2 | 67/1298 | 5.2 | 3.01 (1.89 to 4.78) | < 0.0001 | |||||
| Demanded less feed1-150 | 29/317 | 9.1 | 20/1298 | 1.5 | 6.44 (3.19 to 12.98) | < 0.0001 | |||||
Centiles were estimated by means of charts developed by the UK cross sectional reference data 1995 (Child Growth Foundation).
Resuscitation was by means of intubation or cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
An episode of convulsions was defined as any form of convulsion, fit, seizure, or other turn in which consciousness was lost or any part of the body made abnormal movements.
An episode of lifelessness was defined as any episode in which the infant became lifeless.
A hospital admission was defined as any hospital admission or attendance including outpatients, excluding follow up from SCBU.
Illness in last week was defined as any illness, minor or major, diagnosed by a health professional in the last week.
Medication in the last week included treatment ointments, homeopathic medicine, and vitamins.
↵1-150 As reported by the parents.
↵1-151 Few of these illnesses required hospitalisation.
CI, confidence interval; OR, odds ratio; SCBU, special care baby unit; SIDS, sudden infant death syndrome.