---
title: "Effect of long-term antibiotic use on wt in teens with acne. | Sutter Health"
description: "Contrary to original expectations, long-term antibiotic use in healthy adolescents with acne was not associated with weight gain. This finding, which was consistent across all analyses, does not support a weight-promoting effect of antibiotics in adolescents."
url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/effect-long-term-antibiotics-on-wt-in-teens-acne-1055312377"
---

1.  [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) /
2.  [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) /
3.  [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) /
4.  Effect of long-term antibiotic use on wt in teens with acne.

# Effect of long-term antibiotic use on weight in adolescents with acne.

Contopoulos-Ioannidis DG, Ley C, Wang W, Ma T, Olson C, Shi X, Luft HS, Hastie T, & Parsonnet J.

_J Antimicrob Chemother. pii: dkv455. \[Epub ahead of print\]_

2016-01-17

## Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Antibiotics increase weight in farm animals and may cause weight gain in humans. We used electronic health records from a large primary care organization to determine the effect of antibiotics on weight and BMI in healthy adolescents with acne.

METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of adolescents with acne prescribed ≥4 weeks of oral antibiotics with weight measurements within 18 months pre-antibiotics and 12 months post-antibiotics. We compared within-individual changes in weight-for-age Z-scores (WAZs) and BMI-for-age Z-scores (BMIZs). We used: (i) paired t-tests to analyze changes between the last pre-antibiotics versus the first post-antibiotic measurements; (ii) piecewise-constant-mixed models to capture changes between mean measurements pre- versus post-antibiotics; (iii) piecewise-linear-mixed models to capture changes in trajectory slopes pre- versus post-antibiotics; and (iv) χ2 tests to compare proportions of adolescents with ≥0.2 Z-scores WAZ or BMIZ increase or decrease.

RESULTS: Our cohort included 1012 adolescents with WAZs; 542 also had BMIZs. WAZs decreased post-antibiotics in all analyses \[change between last WAZ pre-antibiotics versus first WAZ post-antibiotics?=?-0.041 Z-scores (P?<?0.001); change between mean WAZ pre- versus post-antibiotics?=?-0.050 Z-scores (P?<?0.001); change in WAZ trajectory slopes pre- versus post-antibiotics?=?-0.025 Z-scores/6 months (P?=?0.002)\]. More adolescents had a WAZ decrease post-antibiotics ≥0.2 Z-scores than an increase (26% versus 18%; P?<?0.001). Trends were similar, though not statistically significant, for BMIZ changes.

CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to original expectations, long-term antibiotic use in healthy adolescents with acne was not associated with weight gain. This finding, which was consistent across all analyses, does not support a weight-promoting effect of antibiotics in adolescents.

[PubMed abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26782773)

## Research topics

-   [Child and Adolescent Health](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Child+and+Adolescent+Health%5C%22%22)
-   [Disease Management](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Disease+Management%5C%22%22)
-   [Infectious Disease](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Infectious+Disease%5C%22%22)
-   [Medical Informatics](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Medical+Informatics%5C%22%22)

## Related publications

[View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication)

-   Publication
    
    ### [Free latissimus dorsi flap used in treatment of cerebral aspergillosis: a case report and review of the literature.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/latissimus-dorsi-flap-tx-cerebral-aspergillosis-1055312924)
    
    Antony AK, Hong RW, Amieva M, Taekman MS, Huhn SL, Karanas YL.
    
    Microsurgery. 23(4):313-6.
    
    2003 Aug 20
    
-   Publication
    
    ### [Primary care nurse practitioner management of adolescent behavioral health.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/primary-care-np-management-of-teen-behavioral-health-1055312814)
    
    Dillon EC, Erlich KJ, Li J, Li M, Becker DF.
    
    Am J Manag Care. 2020 Sep 1;26(9):e295-e299. doi: 10.37765/ajmc.2020.88495.
    
    2020 Sep 01
    
-   Publication
    
    ### [Assessment of body mass index and association with adolescent preventive care in U.S. outpatient settings.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/assess-bmi-teen-outpt-preventive-care-1055312947)
    
    Ma J, Xiao L.
    
    J Adolesc Health. 2009 May;44(5):502-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2008.10.001. Epub 2008 Nov 22.
    
    2009 May 01
    
-   Publication
    
    ### [In reference to: Histologic assessment of thermal injury to tonsillectomy specimens: a comparison of electrocautery, coblation, harmonic scalpel, and tonsillotome.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/histologic-assess-thermal-inj-tonsillect-specimen-1055312969)
    
    Hetzler D.
    
    Laryngoscope. 120(5):1077. doi: 10.1002/lary.20882.
    
    2010 May 01
    
-   Publication
    
    ### [What will it take to reduce the app gap?](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/what-will-it-take-to-reduce-app-gap-1055312511)
    
    Paget L, Frosch DL.
    
    J Gen Intern Med. \[Epub ahead of print\]
    
    2016 Aug 04
    

[View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication)

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]}
```

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/effect-long-term-antibiotics-on-wt-in-teens-acne-1055312377#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Effect of long-term antibiotic use on wt in teens with acne."}]}
```

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/effect-long-term-antibiotics-on-wt-in-teens-acne-1055312377#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"Effect of long-term antibiotic use on weight in adolescents with acne.","headline":"Effect of long-term antibiotic use on wt in teens with acne.","abstract":"OBJECTIVES: Antibiotics increase weight in farm animals and may cause weight gain in humans. We used electronic health records from a large primary care organization to determine the effect of antibiotics on weight and BMI in healthy adolescents with acne. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of adolescents with acne prescribed ≥4 weeks of oral antibiotics with weight measurements within 18 months pre-antibiotics and 12 months post-antibiotics. We compared within-individual changes in weight-for-age Z-scores (WAZs) and BMI-for-age Z-scores (BMIZs). We used: (i) paired t-tests to analyze changes between the last pre-antibiotics versus the first post-antibiotic measurements; (ii) piecewise-constant-mixed models to capture changes between mean measurements pre- versus post-antibiotics; (iii) piecewise-linear-mixed models to capture changes in trajectory slopes pre- versus post-antibiotics; and (iv) χ2 tests to compare proportions of adolescents with ≥0.2 Z-scores WAZ or BMIZ increase or decrease. RESULTS: Our cohort included 1012 adolescents with WAZs; 542 also had BMIZs. WAZs decreased post-antibiotics in all analyses [change between last WAZ pre-antibiotics versus first WAZ post-antibiotics?=?-0.041 Z-scores (P?\u003c?0.001); change between mean WAZ pre- versus post-antibiotics?=?-0.050 Z-scores (P?\u003c?0.001); change in WAZ trajectory slopes pre- versus post-antibiotics?=?-0.025 Z-scores/6 months (P?=?0.002)]. More adolescents had a WAZ decrease post-antibiotics ≥0.2 Z-scores than an increase (26% versus 18%; P?\u003c?0.001). Trends were similar, though not statistically significant, for BMIZ changes. CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to original expectations, long-term antibiotic use in healthy adolescents with acne was not associated with weight gain. This finding, which was consistent across all analyses, does not support a weight-promoting effect of antibiotics in adolescents.","description":"Contrary to original expectations, long-term antibiotic use in healthy adolescents with acne was not associated with weight gain. This finding, which was consistent across all analyses, does not support a weight-promoting effect of antibiotics in adolescents.","keywords":["Child and Adolescent Health","Disease Management","Infectious Disease","Medical Informatics"],"datePublished":"2016-01-17","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/effect-long-term-antibiotics-on-wt-in-teens-acne-1055312377","inLanguage":"en-US","identifier":[{"@type":"PropertyValue","propertyID":"PMID","value":"26782773"}],"sameAs":["https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26782773/"],"isPartOf":{"@type":"Periodical","name":"J Antimicrob Chemother"},"author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Contopoulos-Ioannidis DG"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Ley C"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Wang W"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Ma T"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Olson C"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Shi X"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Luft HS"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Hastie T"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Parsonnet J"}],"sourceOrganization":{"@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute"},"about":[{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Child and Adolescent Health","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Child+and+Adolescent+Health%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"},{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Disease Management","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Disease+Management%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"},{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Infectious Disease","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Infectious+Disease%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"},{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Medical Informatics","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Medical+Informatics%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"}],"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/effect-long-term-antibiotics-on-wt-in-teens-acne-1055312377","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/effect-long-term-antibiotics-on-wt-in-teens-acne-1055312377#breadcrumblist"}}}
```