The prevalence of childhood atopic eczema in a general population.
BACKGROUND
Atopic eczema has become more common during recent decades, but few studies have looked at its prevalence in the general community.


OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to ascertain the prevalence of atopic eczema, its age of onset, and its relationship to breast-feeding and ear piercing in a general practice population.


METHODS
Children (N = 1104), aged 3 to 11 years, were identified from a computerized register in a socially and ethnically mixed English general practice population of 13,314. Of these, 1077 children (97.6% recruitment) were interviewed with parents or guardians, and the resultant data were recorded on a survey form.


RESULTS
The lifetime occurrence of atopic eczema was 20% in boys (12% in the past year) and 19% in girls (11% in the past year). Prevalence in the past year was 10% to 14% in boys aged 3 to 11 years but fell in girls from 15% at 3 to 5 years to 8% at 9 to 11 years. Atopic eczema developed in the first 12 months of life in 60% of the children who had the condition, and it developed in the first 6 months of life in three quarters of these children. Ear piercing had been performed in 35% of girls and 3% of boys and was most prevalent in social classes 3, 4, and 5. More than half the girls aged 9 to 11 years had pierced ears. Breast-feeding did not affect the prevalence of atopic eczema.


CONCLUSIONS
The lifetime prevalence of atopic eczema was 20% in children aged 3 to 11 years. There was no evidence that ear piercing perpetuated eczema in this age group. Breast-feeding did not protect against the development of atopic eczema.
Kay
J
J
University Department of Medicine, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, United Kingdom.
Gawkrodger
D J
DJ
Mortimer
M J
MJ
Jaron
A G
AG
D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D004431:Ear, External; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D009532:Nickel / Q000009:adverse effects; D015995:Prevalence; D011677:Punctures / Q000009:adverse effects; D012923:Social Class; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
D009532:Nickel