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Antihistamines Increase Body Mass Index Percentiles and Z-Scores in Hispanic Children

Michelle Saad1,2, Sabeen Syed3, Maheen Ilyas4

  • 1Department of Medical Education, Driscoll Children's Hospital, Corpus Christi, TX 78411, USA.

Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|December 22, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Antihistamine use in children with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with increased BMI percentiles and z-scores. This finding suggests a link between antihistamines (AH) and childhood obesity progression.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Gastroenterology
  • Metabolic Health

Background:

  • Childhood obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are rising public health concerns in the US.
  • Animal studies suggest histamine blockade may influence weight gain and hepatic steatosis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between antihistamine (AH) use and obesity in children diagnosed with NAFLD.
  • To analyze the impact of AH on body mass index (BMI) changes over time.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cohort study of 32 children with NAFLD from January 2018 to April 2019.
  • Participants were divided into antihistamine users (n=13) and antihistamine-naïve (n=19) groups.
  • Demographics, medication use, and BMI metrics were assessed.

Main Results:

  • Antihistamine users showed a significant increase in BMI percentile per year (1.17 vs. -0.06, p=0.0008).
  • AH usage correlated with a higher mean increase in BMI z-score per year (0.23 vs. -0.012, p=0.0016).
  • No significant differences were observed in triglycerides, glucose, or liver enzymes between groups.

Conclusions:

  • Antihistamine use in children with NAFLD is associated with increased BMI percentiles and z-scores over time.
  • This suggests a potential role for antihistamines in the progression of childhood obesity.
  • Further research is warranted to explore the mechanisms underlying this association.

Keywords:
antihistaminebody mass indexchildren

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