[Anamnestic factors in at-risk SID children with peculiar breathing pattern]

436 out of about 9000 infants who were born between April 1987 and November 1990 in Jena were selected by means of a risk score for a polygraphy monitoring. This score contains anamnestic factors of the mother and the infant which are characteristic of an enhanced risk for the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). We performed a day-time polysomnography (ECG, heart rate, respiration, EEG, EOG, EMG) with a sleep duration of at least one hour. 23 of the infants investigated demonstrated abnormal breathing patterns (increased mean apnea duration, apneas longer than 15 s, apneas with bradycardia) and were treated with aminophylline to prevent a possible SIDS event. Now we investigated the statistical relation between 26 anamnestic factors of our risk score and the need for treatment. In univariate statistical comparisons treated infants differed from untreated infants concerning the occurrence of intraventricular haemorrhages (IVH), the gestational age (GA) (preterm of fullterm) and the occurrence of hyperbilirubinemia (HB) in their anamnesis. In a multivariate analysis with all 26 factors the birth weight was the third important factor beside IVH and GA, but only factor IVH was statistically significant. A cluster analysis of the variables with respect to the separation of the two groups of infants indicates that the variables IVH, GA and HB strongly correlate. In the light of these results we can underline that abnormal breathing patterns can be expected especially in infants with IVH, short GA and low birth weight.