SIDS CASES HAVE INCREASED LEVELS OF INTERLEUKIN-6 IN CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 20 infants who died of sudden infant de ath syndrome (SIDS), 7 cases of infectious death and 5 cases of violen t death were examined with respect to concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6). The measurements were performed by ELISA. IL-6 levels in SIDS were significantly lower than in infectious death (p < 0.02), but sign ificantly higher than in violent death (p < 0.02). Since IL-6 plays an important role in immune responses and may induce fever, the findings may suggest that immune activation plays a role in SIDS. The presence of cytokines in the central nervous system (CNS) may cause respirator y depression, especially in vulnerable infants.