Antibiotic use may increase the risk of inflammatory bowel disease in people over the age of 40.health

Use of antibiotics may increase the risk of inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) in people over the age of 40, according to a study published online in the journal Gut.

Risk appears to be cumulative and maximal after 1-2 years of use. Antibiotics targeting intestinal infectionsthe findings show.

Increasing evidence suggests that environmental factors are likely involved in the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Worldwide, he has nearly 7 million people with the condition, and this number will increase in the next decade, researchers say.

Also read: How pathogens cause Crohn’s disease: a study

One of the factors associated with IBD risk in young people is the use of antibiotics.but it is not clear whether this association also applies to older adults.

To investigate this further, the researchers used national health data from 2000 to 2018 for Danish citizens aged 10 and over who had not been diagnosed with IBD.

They particularly wanted to know whether the timing and dose of antibiotics are important for the development of IBD, and whether this varies by type of IBD and antibiotic.

More than 6.1 million people took part in the survey, just over half of them women. In total, 5.5 million (91%) were prescribed at least his one course of antibiotics between his 2000 and his 2018 years.

During this period, approximately 36,017 new cases of ulcerative colitis and 16,881 new cases of Crohn’s disease were diagnosed.

Overall, compared with no antibiotic use, use of these agents was associated with a higher risk of developing IBD regardless of age. However, the risk increased with age.

People aged 10-40 were 28% more likely to be diagnosed with IBD. It was 48% higher for those aged 40-60 and 47% higher for those in their 60s and older.

The risk of Crohn’s disease was slightly higher than that of ulcerative colitis. 40% for ages 10-40. 62% of those aged 40-60. 51% are over 60.

Risk appeared to be cumulative, with each subsequent course increasing risk by an additional 11%, 15%, and 14% depending on age group.

The highest risk of all was observed in those prescribed 5 or more courses of antibiotics. At the age of 40-60 the risk he doubles. Over the age of 60, the risk is 95% higher for him.

Timing also appears to play a role, with the highest risk of IBD occurring one to two years after antibiotic exposure, and decreasing with each subsequent year.

Specifically, the risk of IBD in those aged 10-40 years was 40% higher 1-2 years after taking antibiotics compared to 13% after 4-5 years. The equivalent figures for those aged 40-60 were 66% vs. 21%, and for those over the age of 60, 63% vs. 22%.

Regarding antibiotic types, the highest risk of IBD was associated with nitroimidazoles and fluoroquinolones, which are commonly used to treat intestinal infections. It is known as a broad-spectrum antibiotic because it indiscriminately targets all microorganisms.

Nitrofurantoin was the only antibiotic type not associated with IBD risk at any age.

Narrow-spectrum penicillins were also associated with IBD, but to a much lesser extent. This adds weight to the idea that alterations in the gut microbiota may play an important role, and that many antibiotics can alter the microbial makeup of the gut.

Since this is an observational study, we cannot determine the cause. Researchers also noted that no information was available about the purpose of the drugs or how many drugs patients actually took.

However, they suggest that there are several plausible biological explanations for this finding, suggesting that both the microbial resilience and extent of the aging-associated gut microbiome are naturally reduced, leading to the use of antibiotics. It emphasizes that use may worsen.

“Furthermore, repeated doses of antibiotics may make these changes more pronounced, ultimately limiting recovery of the gut microbiota,” they add.

Limiting antibiotic prescribing could not only help curb antibiotic resistance, but could also help lower the risk of IBD, they venture.

“The association between antibiotic exposure and the development of IBD underscores the importance of antibiotic management as a public health measure, with the gastrointestinal microbiome as an important factor in the development of IBD, especially in the elderly. suggests,” they conclude.

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