The Journal of Pediatrics
Volume 156, Issue 1 , Pages 38-43 , January 2010

Using Death Certificates to Characterize Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): Opportunities and Limitations

  • Carrie K. Shapiro-Mendoza, PhD, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Reproductive Health, Atlanta, GA
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Carrie K. Shapiro-Mendoza, PhD, MPH, Maternal and Infant Health Branch, Division of Reproductive Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mailstop K-23, 4770 Buford Highway NE, Atlanta, GA 30341-3717.
    • ,
  • Shin Y. Kim, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Reproductive Health, Atlanta, GA
    • ,
  • Susan Y. Chu, PhD, MSPH

      Affiliations

    • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Reproductive Health, Atlanta, GA
    • ,
  • Emily Kahn, PhD, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Reproductive Health, Atlanta, GA
    • ,
  • Robert N. Anderson, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville, MD

Received 20 January 2009 ,Revised 15 June 2009 ,Accepted 7 July 2009.

References 

  1. Willinger M, James LS, Catz C. Defining the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS): deliberations of an expert panel convened by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Pediatr Pathol. 1991;11:677–684
  2. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital statistics of the United States, 1973, volume II —mortality, part A, section 6. Rockville, MD: US Public Health Service; 2008;
  3. World Health Organization. International statistical classification of diseases and related health problems, 10th revision. Geneva: World Health Organization; 1992;
  4. World Health Organization. Manual of the international statistical classification of diseases, injuries, and causes of death, based on the recommendations of the Ninth Revision Conference, 1975. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2007;
  5. Mathews TJ, MacDorman MF. Infant mortality statistics from the 2004 period linked birth/infant death data set. Natl Vital Stat Rep. 2007;55:1–32
  6. Shapiro-Mendoza CK, Kimball M, Tomashek KM, Anderson RN, Blanding S. US infant mortality trends attributable to accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed from 1984 through 2004: are rates increasing?. Pediatrics. 2009;123:533–539
  7. Shapiro-Mendoza CK, Tomashek KM, Anderson RN, Wingo J. Recent national trends in sudden, unexpected infant deaths: more evidence supporting a change in classification or reporting. Am J Epidemiol. 2006;163:762–769
  8. Malloy MH, MacDorman M. Changes in the classification of sudden unexpected infant deaths: United States, 1992-2001. Pediatrics. 2005;115:1247–1253
  9. Hanzlick R. Death scene investigation. In:  Byard RW,  Krous HF editor. Sudden infant death syndrome: problems, progress and possibilities. London: Arnold; 2001;p. 58–65
  10. Corey TS, Hanzlick R, Howard J, Nelson C, Krous H. A functional approach to sudden unexplained infant deaths. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2007;28:271–277
  11. Krous HF, Beckwith JB, Byard RW, Rognum TO, Bajanowski T, Corey T, et al. Sudden infant death syndrome and unclassified sudden infant deaths: a definitional and diagnostic approach. Pediatrics. 2004;114:234–238
  12. Anderson RN, Miniño AM, Hoyert DL, Rosenberg HM. Comparability of cause of death between ICD-9 and ICD-10: preliminary estimates. Natl Vital Stat Rep. 2001;49:1–32
  13. Beckwith JB. Defining the sudden infant death syndrome. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2003;157:286–290
  14. Shields LB, Hunsaker JC, Corey TS, Stewart D. Is SIDS on the rise?. J Ky Med Assoc. 2007;105:343–353
  15. Pasquale-Styles , Melissa A, Tackitt , Patricia L, Schmidt , Carl J. Infant death scene investigation and the assessment of potential risk factors for asphyxia: a review of 209 sudden unexpected infant deaths. J Forensic Sci. 2007;52:924–929
  16. Jones AM, Weston JT. The examination of the sudden infant death syndrome infant: investigative and autopsy protocols. J Forensic Sci. 1976;21:833–841

 The findings and conclusions in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

PII: S0022-3476(09)00650-7

doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2009.07.017

The Journal of Pediatrics
Volume 156, Issue 1 , Pages 38-43 , January 2010

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