Drug may help prevent SIDS in babies

HAMILTON, Ontario, June 6 (UPI) -- A specific class of drugs could be effective in treating babies vulnerable to sudden infant death syndrome, Canadian researchers suggest.

Researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton said when mothers-to-be smoke during pregnancy the exposure of the fetus to nicotine results in its inability to respond to decreases in oxygen -- known as hypoxia -- which may result in a higher incidence of SIDS.

In the study involving rats, researchers found the diabetic medication glibenclamide can reverse the effects of nicotine exposure, increasing the newborn's ability to respond to hypoxia and likely reducing the incidence of SIDS.

"During birth the baby rapidly changes its physiology and anatomy so that it can breathe on its own," study lead author Josef Buttigieg said in a statement. "The stress of being born induces the release of the hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline -- collectively called catecholamines -- from the adrenal glands. During birth, these hormones in turn signal the baby's lungs to become ready for air breathing."

For some months after birth, the adrenal glands act as a critical oxygen sensor that signals the baby to take a deep breath. A drop in blood oxygen levels will stimulate the release of catecholamines, which in turn signals the baby to take a deep breath, when an infant rolls on its face or has an irregular breathing pattern during sleep. However, the ability to release those hormones during moments of apnea or asphyxia is impaired due to nicotine exposure.

The study is published in the Journal of Neuroscience.