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Updated: Dec 26, 2025
Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction-based Analyses of Murine Intestinal Microbiota After Oral Antibiotic Treatment
Published on: November 17, 2018
Correlation between antibiotic use in childhood and subsequent inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review and
Yunzhi Zou1,2,3, Lizhi Wu1,2, Wencai Xu1,2
1Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.
Insights
Childhood antibiotic use is linked to a higher risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease. This association highlights potential long-term health impacts of early antibiotic exposure.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology
- Pediatric Health
- Microbiome Research
Background:
- Antibiotic administration can disrupt the gut microbiome, potentially triggering inflammatory responses.
- Childhood antibiotic exposure is a growing concern for long-term gastrointestinal health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between antibiotic use in childhood and the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
- To quantify the risk of IBD, Crohn's disease (CD), and ulcerative colitis (UC) following early-life antibiotic exposure.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 studies.
- Data extraction and pooling of adjusted odds ratios (OR) and risk ratios (RR).
- Publication bias assessment using Egger's test.
Main Results:
- A pooled OR of 1.5 indicated a positive association between childhood antibiotic use and IBD.
- Specific pooled ORs for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis were 1.59 and 1.22, respectively.
- Publication bias was noted in IBD studies, but not in CD or UC-specific analyses.
Conclusions:
- Childhood antibiotic use is associated with an increased risk of developing Crohn's disease, particularly in non-European Western countries (2010-2013).
- Children in the United States exposed to antibiotics face a higher risk of subsequent IBD compared to those in Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Abstract:
Background: Antibiotic use leads to a cascade of inflammatory reaction in the gastrointestinal tract due to its association with a temporary disruption of human microbiome.Objectives: To explore the undetermined correlation between antibiotic use in childhood and subsequent inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).Methods: PUBMED, EMBASE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched to identify related articles. We extracted and pooled the (adjusted) odds ratio (OR) and (adjusted) risk ratio (RR).Results: This systematic review and meta-analysis included 11 studies. The pooled OR of all 11 studies was 1.5 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.22-1.85). The pooled ORs of the subsequent Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis after antibiotic use in childhood were 1.59 (95% CI: 1.06-2.4) and 1.22 (95% CI: 0.82-1.8). The sensitivity analysis showed no change. The meta-regression showed there was not statistical significance for the publication year, research area and research methods. Egger's test showed publication bias in the IBD studies (p = .006 < .05) but no publication bias for the CD (p = .275>.05) and UC studies (p = .537>.05).Conclusions: There was a positive association between antibiotic use in childhood and the subsequently risk of Crohn's disease in non-European countries in the west during 2010-2013. Children in the United States taking antibiotics will have a higher risk of subsequently IBD than Europe, Asia and Australia. Registration number: CRD42019147648 (PROSPERO).
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