Prevalence of childhood and adolescent atopic dermatitis in a Japanese population: comparison with the disease frequency examined 20 years ago.
To ascertain the prevalence of childhood and adolescent atopic dermatitis in a Japanese population, we clinically observed the total body of 5 to 6-year-old children (994 cases), 7 to 9-year-old children (1,240 cases), 10 to 12-year-old children (1,152 cases), 13 to 15-year-old children (1,670 cases), and 16 to 18-year-old adolescents (2,159 cases). The examination was performed in the spring of 1994-96, when exacerbation of childhood and adolescent atopic dermatitis most frequently occurs in Japan. Atopic dermatitis was observed in 24% of the 5 to 6-year group, in 19% of the 7 to 9-year group, in 15% of the 10 to 12-year group, in 14% of the 13 to 15-year group, and in 11% of the 16 to 18-year group. The prevalence of atopic dermatitis in 9 to 12-year-old children was two times and in 18-year-old adolescents five times as high as in similar age groups examined 20 years ago.
Department of Dermatology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan.
H
H
Sugiura
N
N
Umemoto
H
H
Deguchi
Y
Y
Murata
K
K
Tanaka
T
T
Sawai
M
M
Omoto
M
M
Uchiyama
T
T
Kiriyama
M
M
Uehara
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013997:Time Factors