Presentation Information
[P-13-04]Association between anti-infective agent prescription and incidence of neurodevelopmental disorder
*yunhye Oh, Vin Ryu (Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital(Korea))
Keywords:
Anti-infective agent,Neurodevelopmental disorder,Infection
Early-life infections may increase the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, but the role of anti-infective agents remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the association between hospitalization for infections in infancy and subsequent exposure to anti-infective agents with the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders. Using a nationwide claims database from South Korea, we constructed a matched cohort of children hospitalized five or more times due to infection before age five, and a control group hospitalized for inguinal hernia. Propensity score matching was applied to reduce confounding. We found that the frequency and duration of anti-infective agent use, particularly antibacterial and antifungal agents, were associated with increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders. Antiviral agents showed no significant association. The association was strongest for exposures occurring before one year of age. These findings suggest that early repeated infection-related hospitalizations and anti-infective exposures may contribute to neurodevelopmental vulnerability. Judicious use of anti-infectives in early childhood may be warranted.