Prenatal exposure to acetaminophen increases the risk of atopic dermatitis in children: A nationwide nested case-control study in Taiwan

Background Acetaminophen (APAP) has been associated with the development of atopic diseases. However, little is known about the relationship between prenatal APAP exposure and atopic dermatitis (AD) in offspring. Objective To investigate the association between prenatal APAP exposure and AD risk in offspring. Methods In this study, 2029 study pairs (AD-affected children and their mothers) and 5,058 control pairs were identified between 1998 and 2008 from the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database. Maternal APAP exposure during pregnancy was assessed. Results After adjustment for potential confounders, there was a significant association between risk of offspring AD and exposure to acetaminophen in the first trimester (OR 1.16; 95% CI 1.05-1.28), the second trimester (OR 1.14; 95% CI 1.03-1.27), both first and second trimesters (OR 1.30; 95% CI 1.13-1.51), both first and third trimester (OR 1.20; 95% CI 1.04-1.39), any trimester (OR 1.12; 95% CI 1.00-1.26), and all three trimesters (OR 1.32; 95% CI 1.08-1.62) in a dose-response manner. Conclusions Prenatal exposure to acetaminophen was associated with an increased incidence of offspring AD.