Primal Health Databank: Study
| Entry No: | 0436 |
| Title: | Perinatal characteristics and risk of rheumatoid arthritis |
| Author(s): | Jacobsson LT, Jacobsson ME, et al. |
| Reference: | BMJ 2003; 326: 1068-9 |
| Place of Study: | Sweden |
| Abstract: | The authors selected participants from a local register of all patients seen either in the outpatient clinic at the department of rheumatology at Malmö University Hospital, southern Sweden, or by any of the three private rheumatologists in the same city. The register contains over 90% of all known cases of rheumatoid arthritis in the catchment area. We selected 77 subjects in this register (all patients who were born between 1940 and 1960 and were still living in Malmö) as cases (median age of onset of rheumatoid arthritis 46 years, 76% (59) positive for rheumatoid factor, 85% (65) with erosive disease). For each case the consecutive four births of the same sex at the same delivery unit in Malmö were selected as controls (n=308). Using the population and census registers, 98 controls were identified who were still living in Malmö at the time of the investigation for a restricted analysis including only controls (and the corresponding cases) who were still living in the catchment area at the time of the investigation.
High birth weight (4000 g v 3000-3999 g) was positively associated with rheumatoid arthritis (odds ratio 3.3, 95% confidence interval 1.4 to 7.4; table), but low birth weight (< 3000 g v 3000-4000 g) was not. Initiation of breast feeding during inpatient care after delivery (0.2, 0.1 to 0.7), and paternal occupation (manual v non-manual worker; 2.8, 1.3 to 5.7) were also associated with rheumatoid arthritis. The associations between birth weight, initiation of breast feeding, and paternal occupation were not confounded by each other (table). The authors found no other significant associations. Analyses using the restricted sample of only controls living in the catchment area at the time of the investigation resulted in similar risk estimates.
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| Keyword(s): | birth weight, breastfeeding, rheumatoid arthritis |
| Discussion: | No discussion mentioned for this entry |
| See Also: | No related entries mentioned for this entry |
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