Body mass index and risk of autoimmune diseases: a study within the Danish National Birth Cohort

TY - JOUR

T1 - Body mass index and risk of autoimmune diseases

T2 - a study within the Danish National Birth Cohort

AU - Harpsøe, Maria C

AU - Basit, Saima

AU - Andersson, Mikael

AU - Nielsen, Nete M

AU - Frisch, Morten

AU - Wohlfahrt, Jan

AU - Nohr, Ellen A

AU - Linneberg, Allan

AU - Jess, Tine

N1 - © The Author 2014; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

PY - 2014/6

Y1 - 2014/6

N2 - BACKGROUND: A possible aetiological link between obesity and certain autoimmune diseases (ADs) has been suggested. We investigated the associations between body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) and 43 ADs.METHODS: 75,008 women participating in the Danish National Birth Cohort were followed during a median time of 11 years. Diagnoses on ADs were retrieved from the Danish National Patient Register. Cox proportional hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated adjusting for potential confounders (smoking, alcohol, parity and socio-occupational status).RESULTS: During follow-up, 2430 women (3.2%) developed a total of 2607 new-onset ADs. Risk of any autoimmune disease was increased in obese women (HR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.11 to 1.46) compared with normal weight women (18.5-≤25 kg/m2). Obese women (BMI≥30 kg/m2) were at increased risk of sarcoidosis (HR 3.59; 95% CI, 2.31 to 5.57) and type 1 diabetes mellitus (HR 2.67; 95% CI, 1.71 to 4.17). Risk of dermatitis herpetiformis increased by 14% (95% CI, 1% to 30%) per BMI unit. Conversely, risk of celiac disease and Raynaud's phenomenon decreased by 7% (95% CI, 1% to 13%) and 12% (95% CI, 4% to 19%) per BMI unit, respectively. Further associations between BMI and risk of psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease were suggested.CONCLUSIONS: BMI was found to be associated with several Ads. This was most pronounced between obesity and risk of sarcoidosis and and risk of type 1 diabetes mellitus. These novel findings need confirmation and the possible role of adipose tissue-derived immunological changes in the development of autoimmune reactions needs consideration.

AB - BACKGROUND: A possible aetiological link between obesity and certain autoimmune diseases (ADs) has been suggested. We investigated the associations between body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) and 43 ADs.METHODS: 75,008 women participating in the Danish National Birth Cohort were followed during a median time of 11 years. Diagnoses on ADs were retrieved from the Danish National Patient Register. Cox proportional hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated adjusting for potential confounders (smoking, alcohol, parity and socio-occupational status).RESULTS: During follow-up, 2430 women (3.2%) developed a total of 2607 new-onset ADs. Risk of any autoimmune disease was increased in obese women (HR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.11 to 1.46) compared with normal weight women (18.5-≤25 kg/m2). Obese women (BMI≥30 kg/m2) were at increased risk of sarcoidosis (HR 3.59; 95% CI, 2.31 to 5.57) and type 1 diabetes mellitus (HR 2.67; 95% CI, 1.71 to 4.17). Risk of dermatitis herpetiformis increased by 14% (95% CI, 1% to 30%) per BMI unit. Conversely, risk of celiac disease and Raynaud's phenomenon decreased by 7% (95% CI, 1% to 13%) and 12% (95% CI, 4% to 19%) per BMI unit, respectively. Further associations between BMI and risk of psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease were suggested.CONCLUSIONS: BMI was found to be associated with several Ads. This was most pronounced between obesity and risk of sarcoidosis and and risk of type 1 diabetes mellitus. These novel findings need confirmation and the possible role of adipose tissue-derived immunological changes in the development of autoimmune reactions needs consideration.

KW - Adult

KW - Autoimmune Diseases

KW - Body Mass Index

KW - Cohort Studies

KW - Denmark

KW - Female

KW - Health Behavior

KW - Humans

KW - Incidence

KW - Longitudinal Studies

KW - Obesity

KW - Risk Factors

KW - Socioeconomic Factors

U2 - 10.1093/ije/dyu045

DO - 10.1093/ije/dyu045

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 24609069

SN - 0300-5771

VL - 43

SP - 843

EP - 855

JO - International Journal of Epidemiology

JF - International Journal of Epidemiology

IS - 3

ER -