Neonatal jaundice is a risk factor for childhood allergic rhinitis: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND

This study evaluates the association between neonatal jaundice and childhood allergic rhinitis (AR).

METHODS

Eleven thousand three hundred twenty-eight children were collected from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. Their claims data were evaluated from birth to 10 years of age, and they were assigned to either the study (with neonatal jaundice) or the control (without neonatal jaundice) group. The diagnostic criteria for AR were at least three diagnoses of AR at outpatient services, one diagnosis of AR during an admission, or one diagnosis of AR in an emergency department. Mantel-Haenszel odds ratios (ORs) were calculated after adjustment for the following confounders: preterm/low birth weight, neonatal infection, other respiratory conditions, other birth conditions, and gender. AR rate, AR onset time, the use of oral antihistamines/nasal corticosteroids, outpatient visit frequency for AR, lower respiratory infection (LRI) rates, sinusitis/otitis media/conjunctivitis rates, and the effect of phototherapy were evaluated.

RESULTS

After adjustment for the confounding factors, the rate of AR was higher in icteric children (OR, 1.46; 95% confidence interval, 1.24∼1.72). There was a higher incidence of AR in children <4 years old with icterus. The use of oral antihistamines, LRI rates, sinusitis rates, and otitis media rates were higher in the icteric children. There was no association between phototherapy and childhood AR.

CONCLUSION

Neonatal jaundice increased the rate and complications of childhood AR in subjects aged up to 10 years and may be a risk factor for childhood AR.