Co-occurrence of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis and congenital heart defects: a nationwide cohort study

• Published in: Pediatric research Vol. 85; no. 7; pp. 955 - 960
• Main Authors: Feenstra, Bjarke, Gørtz, Sanne, Lund, Marie, Ranthe, Mattis F, Geller, Frank, Melbye, Mads
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Nature Publishing Group 01.06.2019
• Subjects: Cohort analysis; Cohort Studies; Denmark - epidemiology; Female; Health risk assessment; Heart Defects, Congenital - complications; Humans; Incidence; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Male; Pyloric Stenosis, Hypertrophic - complications; Registries; Retina; Denmark
• DOI: 10.1038/s41390-019-0369-9
• ISSN: 0031-3998

Recent studies suggest that infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS) and congenital heart defects (CHDs) may share some genetic risk factors, but little is known about the co-occurrence of the two conditions in patients. Our study cohort included 2,212,756 persons born in Denmark 1977-2013. We identified patients with IHPS and CHD in the National Patient Register. Using log-linear Poisson regression, we estimated the (incidence) rate ratios (RRs) comparing the rate of IHPS among children with a CHD diagnosis (exposed) and the rate among those without such a diagnosis. Twenty-seven thousand three hundred and fifty-seven children in the cohort were diagnosed with CHD out of whom 85 developed IHPS (RR = 2.62, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.09-3.22]). The results were similar for those with and without other congenital malformations, for preterm and term deliveries, and for both sexes. There was, however, a significant effect of calendar period (P = .003). In the period 1977-1996, the RR of IHPS given a CHD diagnosis was 1.96 (95% CI 1.41-2.64); in the period 1997-2014, the RR was 3.75 (95% CI 2.74-4.99). CHD was associated with an increased risk of IHPS. Further research is needed to delineate molecular-level mechanisms that may affect both conditions.