Development and testing of scoring systems for predicting infants with high-risk of sudden infant death syndrome in Melbourne.

Epidemiological surveys undertaken in Melbourne during the past 8 years have provided data on which a birth scoring system for infants at high-risk for sudden infant death has been derived. This scoring system was developed after testing scoring systems developed in Sheffield, UK, on Melbourne data and then extending these systems. Prospective trials carried out on a preliminary version of the extended system showed that it is effective in identifying infants at high-risk. The final version of the birth scoring system is capable of identifying a group of future live births which will have a risk of about one in 55 of sudden and unexpected death. The system is also capable of identifying infants with relatively low-risk.