Exposure to animals and risk of oligoarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis

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Exposure to animals and risk of oligoarticular juvenile idiopathic

arthritis: a multicenter case-control study

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2474/11/73

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2010, 11:73doi:10.1186/1471-2474-11-73

Published:20 April 2010

Background

An inverse association between early contact with microbial compounds and

respiratory allergies is well established. The protective effect of infant

contact with animals was also shown for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and

systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We aimed to test the association between

animal contact in infancy and oligoarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis

(OA JIA).

Methods

Parents of children with OA JIA registered at the Hospital for Pediatric

Rheumatology in Garmisch-Patenkirchen were asked to complete a

questionnaire. Children who underwent strabismus surgery at six referral

centers for ophthalmology served as controls. Children age 6 to 18 years

born in Germany without malformations were included (238 cases; response 89%

and 832 controls; response 86%). Data were analyzed using logistic

regression models after adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

Neither place of living (urban vs. rural area), living on a farm, nor

regular farm animal (adjusted odds ratio 0.79; 95% confidence interval

0.42-1.47) or pet contact (0.79; 0.55-1.14) during infancy were clearly

related to case status. Allergic rhinitis was inversely related to OA JIA

(0.57; 0.34-0.95).

Conclusions

Contact with farm environments in infancy might not be associated with OA

JIA. This finding is consistent with previous findings for diabetes mellitus

type 1 but contradicts results for IBD and SLE.