Risk of immune-mediated diseases following exposure to antibiotics in infancy
The early use of antibiotics could increase the risk of certain types of diseases.
In a study published in BMJ Medicine, investigators used data from the Danish Civil Registration System, Danish National Prescription Registry and Danish National Patient Registry to examine the relationship between the use of systemic antibiotics within the first year of life and the development of immune-mediated diseases — including asthma, eczema, allergy, celiac disease, juvenile arthritis, type 1 diabetes and overweight — later in childhood among more than 500,000 children born between 1998 and 2006.
After a mean follow-up of 13.2 years, the investigators identified just over 200,000 participants who received systemic antibiotics prior to the age of one year. The risk of asthma and eczema were particularly notable among the participants who received the antibiotics.
Further studies may be needed to better understand the susceptibility to certain immune-mediated diseases following exposure to systemic antibiotics early in life.
Read more: BMJ Medicine
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