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Increased sibling mortality in children with fetal alcohol syndrome
Author(s) -
Burd Larry,
Klug Marilyn,
Martsolf John
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
addiction biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.445
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1369-1600
pISSN - 1355-6215
DOI - 10.1080/13556210410001717088
Subject(s) - medicine , sibling , proband , fetal alcohol syndrome , odds ratio , mortality rate , pediatrics , pregnancy , psychology , biology , genetics , developmental psychology , mutation , gene
We compared the rate of all‐cause mortality in siblings of children diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) with the siblings of matched controls. The siblings of children with FAS had increased mortality (11.4%) compared with matched controls (2.0%), a 530% increase in mortality. The age of death in case siblings deaths occurred later (between 1 day and 7 years) compared with the controls (1 day to 4 years) [odds ratio (OR) = 2.4 (0.4 ‐ 15.6)]. Siblings of children with FAS had increased risk of death due to infectious illness [OR = 13.7 (1.2 ‐ 361)] and sudden infant death syndrome compared with controls [OR = 10.2 (1.2 ‐ 75.1)]. A diagnosis of FAS is an important risk marker for mortality in the siblings of the proband even if they do not have FAS. Maternal alcoholism appears to be a useful risk marker for increased mortality risk in diagnosed cases and their siblings. This has important implications in the management of family members of children with FAS.