Research suggests possible link between sudden infant death syndrome and air pollution

Findings of a research study carried out by the University of Birmingham and funded by sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) charity The Lullaby Trust suggest a possible association between exposure to certain pollutants and an increased risk of SIDS. The research paper published in open-access journal BMJ Open examines the relationship between the effects of short-term variations in air pollution and the onset of SIDS.

The study found evidence suggesting an association between SIDS and exposure to larger particulate matter (airborne pollutants) called PM10, as well as nitrous dioxide. Other pollutants were not found to be associated with SIDS. The researchers looked at levels of air pollution the day before a SIDS death and compared them to levels on a previous reference day. The study involved over 200 cases in the West Midlands, between 1996 and 2006.

Read the full paper here