Preeclampsia and subsequent risk of cancer in Utah.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine if preeclampsia is associated with a reduced risk of cancer later in life.


METHODS
We performed a cohort study where women with preeclampsia over the interval 1947 to 1999 were identified from the Utah Population Database. Preeclamptics (n = 17,432) were matched 1:3 with nonpreeclamptics (n = 52,296) on maternal age and birth year. Pregnancy, demographic, and cancer information was extracted from subjects and their offspring in linked datasets. Relative risk and hazard ratios were calculated.


RESULTS
In a matched analysis using univariable random-effects Poisson regression, preeclampsia was protective against the development of cancer later in life (RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.84-0.99 with P = .027). In a multivariable clustered Cox regression model with the end point of cancer later in life, preeclampsia was associated with a lower risk of cancer (HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.85-0.99 with P = .039). These findings were supported by stratified and competing risk analyses.


CONCLUSIONS
Women whose pregnancies were affected by preeclampsia have a decreased risk of developing cancer.
Aagaard-Tillery
Kjersti M
KM
Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah Health Sciences, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA. kjersti131@prodigy.net.
Stoddard
Gregory J
GJ
Holmgren
Calla
C
Lacoursiere
D Yvette
DY
Fraser
Alison
A
Mineau
Geraldine P
GP
Varner
Michael W
MW
D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008423:Maternal Age; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011252:Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D014589:Utah / Q000453:epidemiology