Neonatal Acid Suppression, Antibiotics, and Allergic Illnesses

Investigators from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Maryland and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center in Georgia conducted a retrospective cohort study to assess the effect of acid-suppressive medications and antibiotics on development of allergic disease. Data were obtained from the TRICARE Management Activity Military Health System database, which includes demographics, outpatient and inpatient billing records, and outpatient pharmacy use for all uniformed services members and their dependents. Children were eligible if they had a birth record in the database between 2001 and 2013 and were continuously enrolled in TRICARE through at least age 1 year.

The primary exposure was any outpatient prescription (yes or no) of a histamine-2 receptor antagonist (H_{2 …}