Authors: André Kahn
Publish Date: 2003/12/03
Volume: 163, Issue: 2, Pages: 108-115
Abstract
Infants with an apparent lifethreatening event ALTE should not be treated nor monitored without a detailed medical evaluation as different medical causes may be responsible for the initial clinical presentation Standard and specific evaluation procedures are listed to help identify a cause for the ALTE The most frequent problems associated with an ALTE are digestive about 50 neurological 30 respiratory 20 cardiovascular 5 metabolic and endocrine under 5 or diverse other problems including child abuse Up to 50 of ALTEs remain unexplained The finding of medical or surgical anomalies leads to specific treatments Surveillance programmes with the use of home monitoring devices may be undertaken preferably with cardiorespiratory monitors and when possible with event monitors although no currently available home monitoring device is free of false alarms or offers complete protection Longterm followup programmes of infants with an apparent lifethreatening event contribute to adapt medical attitudes to the child’s needs and to confirm the medical diagnosis Conclusion a systematic diagnostic evaluation together with a comprehensive treatment programme increases survival and quality of life for most affected infantsFor the European Society for the Study and Prevention of Infant Death ESPID Members of the ESPID who contributed to the present consensus statement Bentele K Belhadi B Blair P Byard RW Cosmi EV Fleming PJ Franco P Grogaard J Groswasser J Huber J Hurgoiv V Irgens LM Jorch G Jura J Kaczmorski M KatzSalamon M Kelmanson I Kerbl R KiechlKohlendorfer U Krous HF Kurz R L’Hoir M Mallet E Milerad J Naulaers G Neubauer D Perk Y Piumelli R Poets CF Rambaud C Rognum OR Sawaguchi T Schlaud M Shatz A Sperl W Stöllinger O StoltenburgDidinger G Sutter M Tonkin S Van Reempts P Wasilewska J Wilske J Zotter HSpecialists at large who contributed to the present consensus statement Adamson R Brooke H Devlieger H Follett F Gaultier C Gingras J Gozal D Harper R Hessel L Hunt C Horne RSC Jenik A Keens T Lahorgue M Marcus C Rivarola MR Sebastiani P Scaillet S Thach B Togari H Vecchierini MF Willinger M
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