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Acid Blockers for Mom During Pregnancy Increase Baby's Risk of Asthma: Presented at AAAAI

By Em Brown, BSN

PHILADELPHIA -- March 24, 2008 -- Taking acid-blocking medications for heartburn associated with pregnancy increases the baby's risk of developing asthma by more than 50%, according to findings presented here at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting.

Elizabeth Yen, MD, Attending Physician, Department of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Children's Hospital Boston, and Instructor of Pediatrics, Harvard School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, presented the findings during a late-breaking clinical trials session on March 18.

Dr. Yen and colleagues retrospectively analyzed data from 3 national Swedish healthcare registries, including the Medical Birth Register covering the years 1995 to 2004, the Hospital Discharge Register for the years 1995 to 2006, and the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register for 2005 to 2006.

Results of the analysis showed that maternal intake of acid-blocking medication, regardless of type, was associated with an increased odds ratio of 1.51 for asthma in a mother's infant, Dr. Yen said.

"This was seen with asthma only," Dr. Yen told meeting attendees. There was no increase in risk of other allergic diseases, such as atopic dermatitis, food allergies, allergic rhinitis, or "unspecific allergic reactions or anaphylaxis."

"This effect was preserved irrespective of the type of acid-blocking drug, time of exposure during pregnancy, and maternal history of allergy," Dr. Yen said.

"This provides the first evidence of a novel potential risk factor for the development of allergic diseases in children," she concluded.

Funding for Dr. Yen's study was provided by Children's Hospital Boston.


[Presentation title: Acid Blocking Therapy During Pregnancy Increases the Odds For Childhood Asthma. Poster L13]

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