[Hypertrophic pyloric stenosis in infants. A retrospective study of cases observed in the years 1970-1990].

Although the definitive cause of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis is unknown, it's probable that several predisposing risk factors would be associated with the condition. We analysed some perinatal factors in relation to the incidence of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis among children observed during the period 1970-90. We examined 61 infants with surgically confirmed hypertrophic pyloric stenosis and, as controls, 61 healty children comparable for age. In every child we studied: sex, birth rank, pregnancy and delivery, birthweight, parental age, type of feeding, familial history of hypertrophic pyloric stenosis and of atopy, seasonal variation in incidence, AB0 and Rh blood phenotypes. In the 61 infants with hypertrophic pyloric stenosis, the incidence of three factors (male sex, primogeniture and feeding with artificial milk) was significantly higher than that in the controls. We conclude that infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis probably has a particular genetic basis, but perinatal factors are responsible for the rising of the condition. However the true aetiology remains to be elucidated.