title: Gestational age at birth and risk of gastric acid-related disorders in young adulthood.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Preterm birth is associated with gastric acid-related disorders in infancy, but no investigators have examined this association beyond early childhood. We used antisecretory medication data to explore whether preterm birth is associated with gastric acid-related disorders in young adulthood.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a national cohort study of 626,811 individuals born in Sweden in 1973 to 1979, followed up for antisecretory (proton pump inhibitor and H2-receptor antagonist) medication prescriptions from all outpatient and inpatient pharmacies nationwide from 2005 to 2009 (ages 25.5-37.0 years). We excluded individuals with congenital anomalies, and examined potential confounding by other comorbidities identified on the basis of oral anti-inflammatory or corticosteroid medication prescription.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gestational age at birth was inversely associated with antisecretory medication prescription in young adulthood. Adjusted odds ratios for ≥1 antisecretory medication prescription/year were 3.38 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.73-6.62) for individuals born at 22-27 weeks, 1.38 (95% CI, 1.19-1.60) for those born at 28-34 weeks, and 1.19 (95% CI, 1.06-1.32) for those born at 35-36 weeks, relative to those born full-term (37-42 weeks). Exclusion of individuals who were prescribed oral anti-inflammatory or corticosteroid medications (≥1/year) had little effect on these results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that low gestational age at birth may be independently associated with an increased risk of gastric acid-related disorders in young adulthood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Stanford University, CA, USA. kccrump@stanford.edu
authors.forename: Casey
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Crump
authors.forename: Marilyn A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Winkleby
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sundquist
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sundquist
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005744:Gastric Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology