Association between parental mental illness and autoimmune diseases in the offspring – A nationwide register-based cohort study in Sweden. (July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nevriana, Alicia; Pierce, Matthias; Abel, Kathryn M.; Rossides, Marios; Wicks, Susanne; Dalman, Christina; Kosidou, Kyriaki
• Is Part Of: Journal of psychiatric research. Volume 151(2022)
• Page Start: 122
• Page End: 130
• Publication Date: 2022-07
• Subjects: Mental disorders -- Autoimmune diseases -- Child -- Parents -- Cohort -- Epidemiology; DSM Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders -- HR Hazard Ratio -- IBD Inflammatory Bowel Disease -- ICD International Classification of Diseases -- JIA Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis -- NPR National Patient Register -- SLE Systemic Lupus Erythematosus -- T1D Type 1 Diabetes; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Mental Disorders -- Periodicals; Maladies mentales -- Périodiques; Psychiatry; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 616.89005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.04.017
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-3956

Abstract

Abstract: Mental illness has been previously linked with autoimmune diseases, yet the associations between parental mental illness and offspring's risk of autoimmune diseases is largely unknown. We conducted a population-based cohort study of 2, 192, 490 Swedish children born between 1991 and 2011 and their parents to determine the associations between parental mental illness and risk of autoimmune diseases among the offspring. Time-dependent diagnoses of parental mental illness (psychosis, alcohol/drug misuse, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, personality disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder) and offspring autoimmune diseases (type 1 diabetes (T1D), juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), systemic lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), coeliac disease) were identified from inpatient/outpatient healthcare visits. Associations were measured by hazard ratios (HRs) adjusted for potential confounders. Overall, parental mental illness was associated with a small increase in risk of offspring's autoimmune diseases (HR 1.05, 95% CI 1.02–1.08). However, parental common mental disorder (anxiety/depression) was associated with higher risk of JIA, psoriasis, and T1D (HR T1D 1.11, 95% CI 1.01–1.22), while maternal psychosis with reduced risk of coeliac disease (HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.49–0.95) and paternal alcohol/drug misuse with reduced risk of IBD (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.64–0.99). Maternal eating disorders were associated with a markedly increased risk for T1D (HR 1.41, 95% CI 1.05–1.89). Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and to understand underlying mechanisms. There is a need for greater clinical awareness about potential risk of JIA, psoriasis, and T1D among children of parents with common psychiatric morbidity. Highlights: Parental mental illness was weakly associated with childhood autoimmune disease. The risks varied widely by types of mental illness and autoimmune disease. Parental depression or anxiety were linked to higher risk for juvenile arthritis and psoriasis. Maternal depression and eating disorders were associated with higher risk for type 1 diabetes. Maternal non-affective psychosis was linked to lower risk for coeliac disease.