The role of atopic sensitization in flexural eczema: findings from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood Phase Two.
BACKGROUND
The association between allergic sensitization and eczema has been debated for years.


OBJECTIVE
We sought to determine and compare the strength of the association between allergen skin sensitization and eczema in both developing and industrialized countries.


METHODS
Twenty-eight thousand five hundred ninety-one randomly selected 8- to 12-year-old schoolchildren in 20 countries were physically examined for flexural eczema and received skin prick testing to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae, cat hair, Alternaria tenuis, mixed tree and grass pollen, and allergens of local relevance.


RESULTS
The age- and sex-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for a positive association between flexural eczema and atopy ranged between 0.74 (95% CI, 0.31-1.81) and 4.53 (95% CI, 1.72-11.93), with a significantly stronger association in affluent compared with nonaffluent countries (combined age- and sex-adjusted OR(affluent) = 2.69 [95% CI, 2.31-3.13] and OR(nonaffluent) = 1.17 [95% CI, 0.81-1.70]). The combined population attributable fraction for atopy in flexural eczema was 27.9% for affluent and 1.2% for nonaffluent-country centers. Correlating gross national per-capita income with either ORs or population attributable fractions for atopy in flexural eczema confirmed a highly significant positive association (P = .006 and P < .001, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
The association between atopy and flexural eczema is weak and more variable than previously suggested, and the strength of this association is positively linked to gross national income.
Flohr
Carsten
C
Centre of Evidence Based Dermatology and the Centre for Population Sciences, Institute of Clinical Research, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom. carsten.flohr@nottingham.ac.uk
Weiland
Stephan K
SK
Weinmayr
Gudrun
G
Björkstén
Bengt
B
Bråbäck
Lennart
L
Brunekreef
Bert
B
Büchele
Gisela
G
Clausen
Michael
M
Cookson
William O C
WO
von Mutius
Erika
E
Strachan
David P
DP
Williams
Hywel C
HC
D000293:Adolescent; D000485:Allergens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D000528:Alternaria / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides / Q000276:immunology; D002415:Cats / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D019049:Developed Countries; D003906:Developing Countries; D004485:Eczema / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology; D015995:Prevalence; D012882:Skin Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000485:Allergens; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides