Scientists have found that through the screening of 182 infant’s genes that some SIDS victims may have been suffering from LQTS. They scientists screened seven genes known to be associated with LQTS (KCNQ1, KCNH2, SCN5A, KCNE1, KCNE2, KCNJ2, and CAV3). It has been found in other research that patients with LQTS have a mutation with one of these genes which affect different aspects of electrical transmission (whether it is influx levels of sodium or reduced levels of calcium within synapses). Therefore the scientist hypothesized that victims of SIDS may show similar mutations within these genes. It was found that 9.5% of SIDS victims screened had some form of variant in one of these genes. This is allowing greater research to be performed to observe earlier in life whether infants have variants in these genes to be treated. At current different treatments are required depending upon what gene is affected.

LQTS or long QT syndrome is a rare heart condition where a person qt interval is lengthened with comparison to the norm. It is genetically inherited trait that depending upon what specific gene associated with LQTS is affected. The QT interval is a measure between the start of the q wave and the end t wave in the heart’s electrical cycle (figure1 above).

SIDS or sudden infant death syndrome is related to infants under the age of one year’s dying whilst asleep. Currently in Australia 1 in 3000 births being affected by SIDS (88 per year). As of current no cause of SIDS has been determined.

By James Rea


Bibliography
Arnestad, M, 2006, Prevalence of Long-QT Syndrome Gene Variants in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Circulation, vol 155.
Victorian government, 2008, Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) explained, better health channel, viewed 20/04/09.

Figure 1) Arizona Cert, Glossary, University of Arizona, viewed 20/04/09
< http://www.azcert.org/consumers/glossary.cfm>