A Case-Control Study On The Risk Factors Of Inguinal Hernia In Children

Objective: To explore the risk factors of inguinal hernia in children, then provide scientific evidence for inguinal hernia prevention.Methods: A hospital based 1:1 matched case-control study was carried out. 201 0～6 years old patients with. inguinal hernia remedied at the hospital of XiangYa college, the second hospital of XiangYa college, the third hospital of Xiangya college, the first people's hospital of Hunan Province, the first people's hospital of Changsha City, the Changsha central hospital; the fourth people's hospital of Changsha City and the first people's hospital of Liuyang City from-October 24th 2005 to June 30th 2006 were enrolled, and all cases were diagnosed, from operation. According to matched, qualification (the same gender, the age differ within 6 months), 201 0～6 years controls without inguinal hernia or other congenital abnormality were selected remedied at the same hospital. Parents were interviewed for a wide range of exposure factors that occurred one month before the pregnancy and during the first trimester of gestation. Chi-square test and logistic regression model were used for univariate and multivariate analysis to. estimate odds ratios (OR) and the 95% confidence interval (95%CI). Results: Univariate analysis showed that paternal exposure to chemical poison (OR=2.167, 95%CI: 1.093～4.294), maternal exposure to chemical poison (OR=3.200, 95%CI: 1.172～8.735), maternal anemia during the period of one month before or three months after pregnancy (OR=3.000, 95%CI: 1.601～5.620), maternal custom of tea during the period of one month before or three months after pregnancy (OR=2.241, 95%CI: 1.447～3.472), mother has eaten pickle one year before pregnancy and during the first trimester of pregnancy (JR=2.625, 95%CI: 1.640～4.201), children's positive family history of inguinal hernia (OR=8.778, 95%CI: 4.405～17.492), children's low birth weight (JR=2.833, 95%CI: 1.117～7.186), children's chronic cough (OR=2.563, 95%CI: 1.438～4.566), children's obstinate constipation (JR=3.200, 95%CI: 1.573～6.509) and children's cry (OR=3.467, 95%CI: 1.952～6.157) were associated with children's inguinal hernia, meanwhile, paternal smoking (P＞0.05), matemal passive smoking (P＞0.05), maternal age (P＞0.05) and maternal medicine treatment (P＞0.05) were not associated with children's inguinal hernia. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that children's positive family history of inguinal hernia (OR=12.178, 95%CI: 5.495～26.990), maternal anemia during the period of one month before or three months after pregnancy (OR=5.143, 95%CI: 2.021～13.088), maternal custom of tea during the period of one month before or three months after pregnancy (OR=1.800, 95%CI: 1.039～3.119), mother has eaten pickle one month before pregnancy and during the first trimester of pregnancy (OR=2.339, 95%CI: 1.298～4.217), maternal passive smoking during the period of one month before or three months after pregnancy (OR=1.851, 95%CI: 1.064～3.222), children's chronic cough (OR=2.046, 95%CI: 1.076～3.890), children's obstinate constipation (OR=3.628, 95%CI: 1.647～7.992) and children's cry (OR=3.977, 95%CI: 2.109～7.503) were associated with children's inguinal hernia.Conclusion: children's positive family history of inguinal hernia, maternal anemia, passive smoking, custom of tea and eating pickle during the period of one month before or three months after pregnancy, children's chronic cough, children's obstinate constipation and children's cry maybe the primary factors of children's inguinal hernia.