The Lyme Disease Network
Medical / Scientific Abstract


Title:Maternal Lyme disease and congenital heart disease: A case-control study in an endemic area.
Authors:Strobino B, Abid S, Gewitz M
Source:Am J Obstet Gynecol 1999 Mar;180(3 Pt 1):711-6
Organization:Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College-Westchester County Medical Center, Valhalla, New York, USA.

Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether maternal Lyme disease increases the risk of congenital heart defect. Study Design: This retrospective case-control study was carried out at a medical center in a suburban area where Lyme disease is endemic. Case patients comprised 796 children with a diagnosis of congenital cardiac anomaly. Control subjects comprised 704 children without cardiac defects selected from the records of the same pediatric cardiology service. Maternal histories were obtained through a mailed questionnaire survey. Unconditional logistic regression analyses examined the relationship between a history of preconception and prenatal clinical Lyme disease or tick bite and case or control status. RESULTS: There was no association between congenital heart defect and maternal tick bite (adjusted odds ratio 1.1, 95% confidence interval 0.5-2.5) or maternal Lyme disease within 3 months of conception or during pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio 0.9; 95% confidence interval 0.2-3.6). CONCLUSION: A woman who has been bitten by a tick or is treated for Lyme disease during or before pregnancy is not at increased risk for giving birth to a child with a congenital heart defect.

Keywords:
Adult, Case-Control Studies, Child, Child, Preschool, Endemic Diseases, Female, Heart Defects, Congenital, EPIDEMIOLOGY, ETIOLOGY, Human, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Logistic Models, Lyme Disease, COMPLICATIONS, EPIDEMIOLOGY, Medical Records, New York, EPIDEMIOLOGY, Odds Ratio, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Infectious, Questionnaires, Retrospective Studies, Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Language: Eng

Unique ID: 99176984


The Lyme Disease Network of NJ, Inc.
43 Winton Road
East Brunswick, NJ 08816
http://www.lymenet.org/