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Consanguinity and apnea of prematurity
Hala Tamim1, Mustafa Khogali, Hind Beydoun
1Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon. ht02@aub.edu.lb
American Journal of Epidemiology
|November 11, 2003
Summary
Consanguineous marriages increase the risk of apnea of prematurity in newborns. This genetic factor, alongside others, may contribute to breathing cessation in premature infants.
Area of Science:
- Medical Genetics
- Neonatology
- Public Health
Background:
- Consanguinity, or marriage between relatives, is linked to adverse perinatal outcomes.
- Apnea of prematurity (AOP) affects infants born before 37 weeks gestation, characterized by breathing cessation.
- Greater Beirut has a notable prevalence of consanguineous marriages.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between consanguinity and AOP in premature infants.
- To explore potential genetic contributions to AOP in a high-prevalence region.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study conducted in Greater Beirut from September 1998 to March 2001.
- Included 597 premature infants (gestation < 37 weeks) without congenital malformations, sepsis, or neurological disorders.
- Analyzed data from 21,723 admitted infants, focusing on 66 with AOP.
Main Results:
- First-degree consanguinity was associated with a 2.9-fold increased odds of AOP (95% CI: 1.3, 6.4), after adjusting for gestational age, pregnancy complications, and Apgar score.
- The study identified a statistically significant link between parental relatedness and AOP risk.
Conclusions:
- Genetic factors, particularly those related to consanguinity, may play a role in the etiology of apnea of prematurity.
- This finding adds to the known risk factors for AOP and highlights the importance of genetic considerations in neonatal care.