Multicenter Study on Season of Birth and Celiac Disease: Evidence for a New Theoretical Model of Pathogenesis

• Published in: The Journal of pediatrics Vol. 162; no. 3; pp. 501 - 504
• Main Authors: Tanpowpong, Pornthep, MD, MPH, Obuch, Joshua C., MD, Jiang, Hongyu, PhD, McCarty, Caitlin E, Katz, Aubrey J., MD, Leffler, Daniel A., MD, Kelly, Ciaran P., MD, Weir, Dascha C., MD, Leichtner, Alan M., MD, Camargo, Carlos A., MD, DrPH
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Mosby, Inc 01.03.2013
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; adults; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; biopsy; boys; celiac disease; Celiac Disease - epidemiology; Child; Child, Preschool; childhood; environmental factors; Female; gastrointestinal system; girls; gluten; hospitals; Humans; Infant; Male; Middle Aged; Models, Biological; Parturition; pathogenesis; patients; Pediatrics; probability; Risk Factors; Seasons; spring; summer; ultraviolet radiation; vitamin status; winter; Young Adult; 25(OH)D; CD; Celiac disease; UV-B; Ultraviolet-B; 25-hydroxyvitamin D
• ISSN: 0022-3476; 1097-6833
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2012.08.056

Objective To investigate whether season of birth is associated with celiac disease (CD). Study design We performed a medical record review of 1964 patients with biopsy-proven CD at 3 teaching hospitals (2 pediatric centers and 1 adult center) between 2000 and 2010. The first positive small intestinal biopsy result defined age of diagnosis. The observed proportions of births in each season (spring [March-May], summer [June-August], fall [September-November], and winter [December-February]) were compared with the expected proportions using binomial probability tests. Results The mean age at diagnosis was 9.8 ± 5.0 years in the 2 pediatric centers and 43.6 ± 15.8 years in the adult center. The cohort was predominately female (69%). Overall, more patients were born in spring (27%) than in any other season: summer (25%), fall (25%), and winter (23%). In patients diagnosed before age 15 years, the spring birth excess was present in boys (33%; P  = .0005), but not in girls (26%; P  = .43). The sex difference in season of birth was less striking in patients with CD diagnosed at age ≥15 years. Conclusion Season of birth is an environmental risk factor for CD, particularly in boys diagnosed before age 15 years. The results are consistent with a new theoretical model that integrates potential environmental factors (eg, gluten introduction, ultraviolet-B exposure, vitamin D status) and acute viral gastrointestinal infections in early childhood.