Early Life Antibiotic Exposure and the Subsequent Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This study was conducted to assess this association between early life antibiotic exposure and the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in later life. The results showed that early life antibiotic exposure was associated with an increased risk of ASD (OR = 1.13, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07–1.21) or ADHD (OR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.1–1.27). However, this association for ASD (OR = 1.04, 95% CI: 0.97–1.11) or ADHD (OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.94–1.02) disappeared when data from sibling-matched studies were pooled. The statistically significant association between early life antibiotic exposure and ASD or ADHD in later life can be partially explained by unmeasured genetic and familial confounding factors.