PEDIATRICS Vol. 82 No. 4 October 1988, pp. 615-618
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Elevated Levels of Hypoxanthine in Vitreous Humor Indicate Prolonged Cerebral Hypoxia in Victims of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Torleiv O. Rognum MD1, Ola D. Saugstad MD1, Stephanie Øyasæter MSc1, and Bjømar Olaisen MD1

1 From the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Institute for Surgical Research, Institute of Pediatric Research, and Department of Pediatrics, The National Hospital, Oslo

Hypoxanthine levels in vitreous humor from 32 infants who died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) were determined and compared with levels found in eight children who died of trauma, drowning, or hanging and with levels from seven neonates dying suddenly without long-standing antemortem hypoxia. Determination of hypoxanthine level was done with either a Po2 electrode method or high-performance liquid chromatography. The results obtained by both methods were significantly correlated therefore they were pooled. The median hypoxanthine level in victims of SIDS (380 µmol/L) was significantly higher (P < .001) than in the children who died violently (118 µmol/L). Moreover, the levels from the SIDS victims were significantly higher (P < .001) than those from the neonates who died without long-standing hypoxia (53 µmol/L). It is concluded that SIDS is probably not a sudden event but may be preceded by a relatively long period of respiratory failure and hypoxia.

Key Words: hypoxanthine • carebral hypoxia • vitreous humor • sudden infant death syndrome

Accepted on December 4, 1987




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