Psychiatric disorder in young adults born very preterm: role of family history.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether young adults born very preterm (VPT) (<33 weeks) are at increased risk for psychiatric illness in adulthood and whether a family history of psychiatric disorder further increases this risk.


METHODS
We assessed 169 VPT and 101 term born individuals using the Clinical Interview Schedule - Revised.


RESULTS
Young adults born VPT had an increased risk for psychiatric disorder compared to controls (OR=3.1, 95% CI=1.1-8.6, p=0.03). Those born VPT who had a history of psychiatric disorder in a first-degree relative, had an increase in risk for psychiatric disorder compared to those born VPT without a family history (OR=5.2, 95% CI=1.8-14.9, p=0.002).


CONCLUSIONS
Individuals born VPT are at increased risk of psychiatric illness in young adulthood compared to controls. In addition, a family history of psychiatric disorder in a first-degree relative may leave young adults born VPT particularly vulnerable to psychiatric illness.
Walshe
M
M
NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK. m.walshe@iop.kcl.ac.uk
Rifkin
L
L
Rooney
M
M
Healy
E
E
Nosarti
C
C
Wyatt
J
J
Stahl
D
D
Murray
R M
RM
Allin
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult