PURPOSE: Low-dose folic acid supplementation (0.5 mg) taken during pregnancy has been associated with an increased risk for childhood asthma. The effect of high-dose folic acid (5 mg) advised to women at risk for having a child with neural tube defect has not been assessed so far. Our aim was to investigate the effect of dispensed high-dose folic acid during pregnancy and asthma medication in the offspring. METHODS: We used data from the pregnancy database IADB.nl, which contains pharmacy-dispensing data of mothers and children from community pharmacies in the Netherlands from 1994 until 2011. The dispension of asthma medication in children exposed in utero to high-dose folic acid was compared with children who were not exposed to this high dose. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. RESULTS: In 2.9% (N = 913) of the 39,602 pregnancies in the database, the mother was dispensed high-dose folic acid. Maternal high-dose folic acid was associated with an increased rate of asthma medication among children: recurrent asthma medication IRR = 1.14 (95%CI: 1.04-1.30) and recurrent inhaled corticosteroids IRR = 1.26 (95%CI: 1.07-1.47). Associations were clustered on the mother and adjusted for maternal age, maternal asthma medication, and dispension of benzodiazepines during pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Almost 3% of the children were prenatally exposed to high-dose folic acid. This study suggests that supplementation of high-dose folic acid during pregnancy might increase the risk of childhood asthma.
PURPOSE: Low-dose folic acid supplementation (0.5 mg) taken during pregnancy has been associated with an increased risk for childhood asthma. The effect of high-dose folic acid (5 mg) advised to women at risk for having a child with neural tube defect has not been assessed so far. Our aim was to investigate the effect of dispensed high-dose folic acid during pregnancy and asthma medication in the offspring. METHODS: We used data from the pregnancy database IADB.nl, which contains pharmacy-dispensing data of mothers and children from community pharmacies in the Netherlands from 1994 until 2011. The dispension of asthma medication in children exposed in utero to high-dose folic acid was compared with children who were not exposed to this high dose. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. RESULTS: In 2.9% (N = 913) of the 39,602 pregnancies in the database, the mother was dispensed high-dose folic acid. Maternal high-dose folic acid was associated with an increased rate of asthma medication among children: recurrent asthma medication IRR = 1.14 (95%CI: 1.04-1.30) and recurrent inhaled corticosteroids IRR = 1.26 (95%CI: 1.07-1.47). Associations were clustered on the mother and adjusted for maternal age, maternal asthma medication, and dispension of benzodiazepines during pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Almost 3% of the children were prenatally exposed to high-dose folic acid. This study suggests that supplementation of high-dose folic acid during pregnancy might increase the risk of childhood asthma.
Authors: Emily C McGowan; Xiumei Hong; Jacob Selhub; Ligi Paul; Robert A Wood; Elizabeth C Matsui; Corinne A Keet; Xiaobin Wang Journal: J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract Date: 2019-06-25
Authors: Christine L Parr; Maria C Magnus; Øystein Karlstad; Margaretha Haugen; Helga Refsum; Per M Ueland; Adrian McCann; Per Nafstad; Siri E Håberg; Wenche Nystad; Stephanie J London Journal: Am J Respir Crit Care Med Date: 2017-01-15 Impact factor: 21.405
Authors: Eva María Navarrete-Muñoz; Desirée Valera-Gran; Manoli García de la Hera; Daniel Gimenez-Monzo; Eva Morales; Jordi Julvez; Isolina Riaño; Adonina Tardón; Jesus Ibarluzea; Loreto Santa-Marina; Mario Murcia; Marisa Rebagliato; Jesus Vioque Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2015-11-24 Impact factor: 2.692