A study published in this month’s JAMA Pediatrics suggest that there is an association between use of acid suppressive medications and antibiotics early in infancy and the development of allergy.
In the study, researchers looked at a cohort of 790,130 children and their exposure to antibiotics and acid suppressive medications prior to 6 months of age. Researchers found that about 9% of infants received an acid suppressive medication and 16.6% of patients received an antibiotic early in infancy. Patients who received these medications early in life were more likely to develop allergic diseases to varying degrees compared to those that did not receive the medication.
This study shows an association but NOT a causation. One possible explanation for their observation is that these medications may change one’s microbiome, which may play a role in the development of allergy. The researchers recommend to consider use of these medications only when there is a clear benefit. More research needs to support these findings.
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