July 1, 1977

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Normal QT Interval on ECGs of Relatives

Structured PICO

Is hereditary prolongation of the QT interval a significant factor in the etiology of sudden infant death syndrome?

P

Population

108 first-degree relatives of 26 patients with sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

I

Intervention

ECG screening (being a relative of a SIDS patient)

C

Comparator

99 subjects from 22 control families

O

Outcome

QT interval on ECGsurrogate

Hereditary prolongation of the QT interval is unlikely to be a significant factor in the etiology of the vast majority of SIDS cases.

Abstract

Genetically determined prolongation of the QT interval on ECGs has been proposed as one basic pathogenetic mechanism for the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). ECG studies in a total of 108 first-degree relatives of 26 patients with this syndrome in comparison with 99 such subjects from 22 control families failed to show any significant differences in the QT interval in these two groups. Hereditary prolongation of the QT interval is therefore unlikely to be a significant factor in the etiology of the vast majority of cases of SIDS.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Normal QT Interval on ECGs of Relatives

Structured PICO

Abstract

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