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Title
Infantile spasms and pertussis immunisation.
AuthorBellman MH; Ross EM; Miller DL
Source
Lancet,
1:
8332, 1983 May 7,
1031-4
AbstractThe possible roles of pertussis immunisation and of other factors in the aetiology of infantile
spasms were investigated by analysis of 269 cases reported to the National Childhood Encephalopathy Study.
In 34% of the cases an antecedent factor which may have caused infantile spasms was identified; the commonest
of these were perinatal hypoxia (38 cases) and tuberous sclerosis (16 cases). Case-control
analyses showed no significant association between infantile spasms and pertussis immunisation in the
28 days before onset. There was, however, some clustering of cases immunised with either diphtheria-tetanuspertussis
or diphtheria-tetanus vaccines in the 7 days before onset. The excess compared with controls was compensated
for by a corresponding deficit over the remaining period up to 28 days. It is suggested that
these vaccines do not cause infantile spasms but may trigger their onset in those children in whom the
disorder is destined to develop.