Atopic dermatitis, dry skin and serum IgE in children in a community in japan.
BACKGROUND
Long-term, prospective studies investigating the prevalence, serum IgE and the natural history of atopic dermatitis (AD) in a community are lacking.


METHODS
In a Japanese community, the skin of primary school children and junior high school students was examined and a questionnaire was given to their parents; their serum total IgE, and house dust mite (HDM)- and Japanese cedar pollen (JCP)-specific IgE levels were also assessed once a year for 9 years.


RESULTS
The median AD prevalence in all students (492 in 1998 and 380 in 2004) was 7.6% (6.1-10.4%). The prevalence and the area of skin eruptions of AD decreased with growth. Serum total and HDM-specific IgE levels were high in AD patients, and significant differences were noted for both levels between children with and without later remission of skin eruptions at the time of primary school entry. IgE level increases were noted in the following order: healthy skin < dry skin < AD. In children presenting only with dry skin without atopic disorders, such as AD, asthma and allergic rhinitis, levels of total HDM- and JCP-specific IgE were significantly higher than in children with healthy skin.


CONCLUSIONS
The infantile IgE level serves as a prognostic index, and sensitization to inhalant allergens may be easily established in individuals with clinically dry skin, even when AD is not present, and this may lead to the development of atopic disorders.
Wakamori
Takeshi
T
Department of Dermatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan.
Katoh
Norito
N
Hirano
Shinya
S
Kishimoto
Saburo
S
Ozasa
Kotaro
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology; D015995:Prevalence; D039981:Pyroglyphidae / Q000276:immunology; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E