title: Interventional three-year longitudinal study of melanocytic naevus development in pre-school children in Dresden, Saxony.
abstract: Acquired melanocytic naevi (MN) are considered a risk factor for melanoma. Exposure to ultraviolet light (UV) is the major environmental factor for MN. UV protection is most critical in pre-school children. This 3-year interventional longitudinal study examined 395 3-year-old children attending daycare centres (DCC) in Dresden, Germany. Photo-skin type, eye and hair colour were recorded. DCC were randomly assigned to a control group and a behavioural intervention group. All children had a regular naevus check-up, including digital objective analysis with Dell'Eva-Burroni Dermoscopy Melanoma Image Processing Software (DB-MIPS) technology. Parents of children in the intervention group received additional guidance for sun-protection. The mean total MN counts of both groups at the start of the study period were 7.19 ± 4.55 (intervention) and 6.84 ± 4.63 (control), respectively. There was a significant increase in MN counts for both groups (mean 12.5 and 13.8). Subgroup analysis for skin type, eye colour, and hair colour did not demonstrate a significant influence on MN counts. The DB-MIPS integrated classifier revealed no risky lesions while analysing their patterns. Intervention did not reduce the number of newly acquired MN. MN counts in pre-school children were approximately 5 times higher than expected from previous large studies in Germany. This is the first study in pre-school children using objective digital image analysis of pigmented lesions. No atypical lesions were observed. New approaches to UV protection in pre-school children are now required.
authors: Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Academic Teaching Hospital Dresden-Friedrichstadt, DE-01067 Dresden, Germany. wollina-uw@khdf.de.
authors: Uwe
authors: U
authors: Wollina
authors: Catherine
authors: C
authors: Helm
authors: Annett
authors: A
authors: Bennewitz
authors: Rainer
authors: R
authors: Koch
authors: Kathrin
authors: K
authors: Schaff
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Burroni
mesh_terms: D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D046169:Dermoscopy; D005858:Germany; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012880:Skin Pigmentation