Case-control study on intestinal intussusception: implications for anti-rotavirus vaccination

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Intussusception is the leading cause of abdominal emergencies in young children.
• A significant proportion, nearly 75%, of intussusception cases remain idiopathic.
• Understanding risk factors is crucial for early diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors associated with the onset of intussusception in children.
• To investigate the role of birth order, infections, antibiotic use, breastfeeding, and vaccination in intussusception.
• To improve the susceptibility profile for intussusception in pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study was conducted in Sicily involving children aged 0-59 months.
• Data were collected from 125 children with intussusception and 190 controls admitted to the hospital between 2009 and 2015.
• Statistical analysis included calculating odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Main Results:

• Higher birth order (OR 1.49) and recent gastroenteritis (OR 11.55) or antibiotic use (OR 3.09) significantly increased intussusception risk.
• Exclusive breastfeeding for at least two months demonstrated a protective effect (OR 0.48).
• Anti-rotavirus vaccination did not show a correlation with the risk of intussusception (OR 0.96).

Conclusions:

• Findings enhance awareness among healthcare providers regarding intussusception risk factors.
• Identifying high-risk children can aid in vaccination counseling and early symptom interception.
• This knowledge can help reduce the incidence and severity of intussusception cases.