Briefly noted:
A recent study (SD Sander et al. Gastroenterol 2019; 156: 2217-29) found an association between antibiotics in the first year of life and celiac disease.
The authors “collected medical information on 1.7 million children, including 3346 with a diagnosis of celiac disease” using nationwide register-based cohorts from Norway and Denmark.
Key finding:
- “Exposure to systematic antibiotics in the first year of life was positively associated with diagnosed celiac disease,” pooled odds ratio 1.26. Furthermore, there was a dose-dependent relationship with increasing number of exposures increasing the risk of celiac disease.
My take: The increase in prevalence of celiac disease over that past few decades is likely related to changes in our environment. These changes affect nearly everyone, but some are more susceptible to immune-related disease that may be triggered by these environmental changes. This study shows that early exposure to antibiotics is likely to be one of the environmental factors that increase the risk of celiac disease.
Related blog posts:
- Northern Latitudes -Higher Celiac Disease Prevalence
- Dietary Patterns in First Year of Life May Increase Celiac Autoimmunity
- Global Prevalence of Celiac Disease ~1.4%
- Celiac Disease Epidemic (High rate of celiac disease reported in Denver children)
- Vaccine for Celiac Disease
- Celiac Disease Risk –TEDDY study
- Celiac Disease and Mode of Delivery -Perhaps Not Very Consequential
- Celiac disease and diabetes
- How Birth Can Affect Your GI Tract | gutsandgrowth
- How to Protect Children From Celiac Disease
- Why are we seeing so many more cases | gutsandgrowth
- Why is Celiac Disease Becoming More Prevalent?