title: A family study of atopic dermatitis. Clinical and genetic characteristics of 188 patients and 2,151 family members.
abstract: The history of 188 caucasian patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and of 2,151 family members has been analyzed. Of the AD patients 48% suffered from respiratory atopy (36% rhinitis, 28% asthma, and 15% both). AD showed by far the earliest onset of all atopic diseases: 50% of our patients had skin lesions before the age of 2 years and 60% before the age of 5 years. In contrast, symptoms of allergic asthma developed in 40% of AD patients before the age of 5 years in comparison with only 25% who had allergic rhinitis. AD affects females more frequently than males (male to female ratio 1:1.5), regardless of whether additional respiratory atopies are present or not. In contrast, respiratory atopies develop more frequently in males than in females (male to female ratio 1.5:1). Mothers with respiratory atopy more often have atopic children (26%) than do fathers with respiratory atopy (13%). Finally, risk figures for genetic counselling are given. In short, the general risk of developing AD (3%) and atopy (7%) increases by a factor of two with each first-degree family member already suffering from atopy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Düsseldorf, FRG.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Küster
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Christophers
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goos
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sterry
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005817:Genetic Counseling; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors