Perinatal events and the risk of developing primary sclerosing cholangitis.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether perinatal events, intrauterine or postpartum, are associated with the development of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) later in life.


METHODS
Birth records from 97 patients with adult PSC in Sweden were reviewed. Information on perinatal events including medications and complications during pregnancy, gestation length, birth weight and length were collected. Two control children of the same sex were selected for each subject. Conditional multiple logistic regression was used to assess associations of the perinatal measures with development of PSC.


RESULTS
No significant associations were found between gestational age, birth length, breastfeeding, and the majority of medical complications including infections or medication during pregnancy for the mothers or postpartum for the children. Vaginal bleeding and peripheral oedema showed associations with PSC, with matched odds ratios of 5.70 (95% CI, 1.13-28.83) and 2.28 (95% CI, 1.04-5.03), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The associations of vaginal bleeding and oedema with subsequent PSC cannot readily be explained, so our findings do not strongly support the hypothesis of a significant role of perinatal events as a risk for the development of PSC later in life.
Bergquist
Annika
A
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden. annika.bergquist@ki.se
Montgomery
Scott M
SM
Lund
Ulrika
U
Ekbom
Anders
A
Olsson
Rolf
R
Lindgren
Stefan
S
Prytz
Hanne
H
Hultcrantz
Rolf
R
Broomé
Ulrika
U
D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding; D015209:Cholangitis, Sclerosing / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004487:Edema / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000502:physiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology