Heat, SIDS, and Hemorrhagic Shock Encephalopathy Syndrome

The authors conducted a case control study of 31 infants (less than 6 months of age) identified by the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit with hemorrhagic shock encephalopathy syndrome (HSES) between 1985 and 1988. This syndrome is characterized by an abrupt onset, usually at night, and affects many organ systems, most prominently the CNS, circulatory and hemostatic systems, often resulting in brain damage or death. It has been thought that HSES may be associated with sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Families were interviewed and data regarding the child’s thermal environment, demographic information and illness were collected on a standardized questionnaire. Control subjects …