title: The hygiene hypothesis does not apply to atopic eczema in childhood.
abstract: There is evidence that environmental factors are important for the development of eczema. Different mechanisms have been discussed in the literature, the best known of which is the hygiene hypothesis. However, epidemiological data give reason for questioning this hypothesis with regard to childhood eczema. We present results from two German birth cohort studies (LISAplus and GINIplus) concerning regional prevalence patterns of eczema and the association of eczema with day care center attendance and older siblings. Our findings are not in line with the hygiene hypothesis and question its validity with regard to eczema. It seems reasonable to assume that the effect of environmental factors is somehow disease-specific.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cramer
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Link
authors.forename: Sibylle
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koletzko
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lehmann
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heinrich
authors.forename: H-Erich
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Wichmann
authors.forename: Carl-P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: V Berg
authors.forename: Dietrich
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Berdel
authors.forename: Olf
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Herbarth
authors.forename: Beate
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schaaf
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borte
authors.forename: Heidrun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Behrendt
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Krämer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000091344:Filaggrin Proteins; D006801:Humans; D061148:Hygiene Hypothesis; D007223:Infant; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D039981:Pyroglyphidae / Q000276:immunology; D035781:Siblings
chemical_list: D000091344:Filaggrin Proteins; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins