Modifiable risk factors, sleep environment, developmental physiology and common polymorphisms: Understanding and preventing sudden infant deaths

Abstract 

Unexpected death in infancy may be a consequence of recognisable pathophysiological processes, or may remain unexplained after thorough investigation. We review the appropriate investigations that should be performed after unexpected infant deaths, and the recent changes to UK law that will make such investigations mandatory from 2008. Current knowledge of the epidemiology and pathophysiology of unexpected infant deaths, together with knowledge of infant developmental physiology leads to an emphasis on the importance of a range of potential gene–environment interactions occurring in vulnerable infants at vulnerable stages of their development.

Sudden Infant Death syndrome (SIDS);, Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI);, Death scene investigations;, Infant developmental physiology;, Triple risk hypothesis;, Epidemiology of SIDS;, Pathophysiology of SIDS