Long-term health risks for children and young adults after infective gastroenteritis.
To quantify the risk and types of sequelae attributable to prior enteric infections, we undertook a population-based retrospective cohort study using linked administrative records. The risk for first-time hospitalization for sequelae was modeled by using Cox proportional regression analysis controlling for other health and sociodemographic factors. We identified a significant increase of 64% in the rate of first-time hospitalization for sequelae for persons with prior enteric infections: 52% for intragastrointestinal sequelae and 63% for extragastrointestinal sequelae compared with first-time hospitalization for those without prior infection. Extragastrointestinal sequelae occurred predominantly during the first 5 years after first-time enteric infection. In contrast, most intragastrointestinal sequelae occurred >10 years later. Infective gastroenteritis during childhood or adolescence increases the risk for first-time hospitalization for intragastrointestinal and extragastrointestinal disease over the 2 decades after first-time enteric infection, highlighting the importance of identifying ways of reducing the incidence of such infections.
Moorin
Rachael E
RE
School of Population Health, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia. rachael.moorin@uwa.edu.au
Heyworth
Jane S
JS
Forbes
Geoffrey M
GM
Riley
Thomas V
TV
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014904:Western Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult