Loss of a child and the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Between 1987 and 2005, the authors conducted a case-control study nested within the entire Swedish population to investigate whether loss of a child due to death is associated with the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The study comprised 2,694 incident ALS cases and five controls per case individually matched by year of birth, gender, and parity. Odds ratios and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals for ALS were estimated by using conditional logistic regression models. Compared with that for parents who never lost a child, the overall odds ratio of ALS for bereaved parents was 0.7 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.6, 0.8) and decreased to 0.4 (95% CI: 0.2, 0.8) 11-15 years after the loss. The risk reduction was also modified by parental age at the time of loss, with the lowest odds ratio of 0.4 (95% CI: 0.2, 0.9) for parents older than age 75 years. Loss of a child due to malignancy appeared to confer a lower risk of ALS (odds ratio = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3, 0.8) than loss due to other causes. These data indicate that the risk of developing ALS decreases following the severe stress of parental bereavement. Further studies are needed to explore potential underlying mechanisms.
Fang
Fang
F
Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. fang.fang@ki.se
Ye
Weimin
W
Fall
Katja
K
Lekander
Mats
M
Wigzell
Hans
H
Sparén
Pär
P
Adami
Hans-Olov
HO
Valdimarsdóttir
Unnur
U
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001601:Bereavement; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002423:Cause of Death; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010290:Parents; D010298:Parity; D010331:Paternal Age; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology