SIDS Linked to Early Atherosclerosis

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters Health) - Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) appears to be associated with the early stages of arterial plaque build-up seen in atherosclerosis, sometimes referred to as "hardening of the arteries, according to a study presented on Sunday at the Argentine Congress of Cardiology. However, the mechanism of this association is unclear, the researchers said. Dr. Jose Milei and colleagues, at the University of Buenos Aires Cardiological Research Institute, analyzed autopsy samples of 52 SIDS victims and 16 babies who had died of unrelated causes, such as meningitis or trauma.