Anthelminthic Treatment During Pregnancy and Infantile Eczema Risk
Author Information
Author(s): Mpairwe Harriet, Webb Emily L, Muhangi Lawrence, Ndibazza Juliet, Akishule Denise, Nampijja Margaret, Ngom-wegi Sophy, Tumusime Josephine, Jones Frances M, Fitzsimmons Colin, Dunne David W, Muwanga Moses, Rodrigues Laura C, Elliott Alison M
Primary Institution: MRC/UVRI Uganda Research Unit on AIDS
Hypothesis
Does anthelminthic treatment during pregnancy increase the risk of allergy in infancy?
Conclusion
Maternal treatment with albendazole during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of infantile eczema.
Supporting Evidence
- 68% of women had worms before treatment.
- Doctor-diagnosed infantile eczema incidence was 10.4/100 infant years.
- Albendazole treatment was associated with a significantly increased risk of eczema.
- Praziquantel showed no overall effect on eczema but increased risk among infants of mothers with Schistosoma mansoni.
- Albendazole was also associated with reported recurrent wheeze.
Takeaway
Giving pregnant women a certain medicine to treat worms can make their babies more likely to get a skin rash called eczema.
Methodology
A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in Uganda with 2507 women enrolled to assess the effects of albendazole and praziquantel on infant allergy outcomes.
Potential Biases
Study clinicians were not dermatologists, which may have affected the accuracy of eczema diagnoses.
Limitations
The clinical diagnosis of eczema may have led to underestimation of its incidence, and the power for subgroup analyses was lower than expected due to lower than predicted eczema rates.
Participant Demographics
Pregnant women in their second or third trimester attending a government hospital in Uganda.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.002
Confidence Interval
1.26–2.64
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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