Jolving LR, et al. - Researchers sought to investigate a possible link between maternal rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 15 selected groups of chronic diseases in the offspring. They found that in utero exposure vs no exposure to maternal RA was associated with an increased risk of thyroid disease and epilepsy in childhood and adolescence, and in particular an increased risk of RA.

Methods

• Based on the Danish health registries, this nationwide cohort study was performed, including data on all children born alive in Denmark from January 1, 1989 to December 31, 2013.
• Study participants included 2106 children born by women with RA (exposed), and 1 378 539 children born by women without RA (unexposed).
• Researchers used Cox proportional hazard regression models, taking into account a large range of confounders, computing the Hazard Ratios (HR) of child- and adolescence diseases.

Results

• Findings demonstrated that in children being exposed to maternal RA in utero, the HR's of thyroid diseases was 2.19 (95% CI, 1.14 – 4.21), epilepsy 1.61 (95% CI, 1.16 – 2.25), and RA 2.89 (95% CI, 2.06 – 4.05).
• Researchers noted that the HR's for anxiety and personality disorders and chronic lung disease including asthma were in the range of 1.15 - 1.16, but these were not statistically significant.