title: Lower risk of atopic dermatitis among infants born extremely preterm compared with higher gestational age.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is not yet known whether the risk of developing atopic dermatitis (AD) is influenced by preterm birth. Moreover, AD risk has not been assessed in a large sample of extremely preterm infants (< 29 weeks' gestation).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether the risk of AD is influenced by preterm birth.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the relationship between gestational age (GA) and AD using data from two independent population-based cohorts, including a total of 2329 preterm infants, of whom 479 were born extremely preterm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a lower percentage of children with AD in the extremely preterm group compared with those born at a greater GA (Epipage cohort, 2-year outcome: 13·3% for 24-28 weeks, 17·6% for 29-32 weeks, 21·8% for 33-34 weeks, P = 0·02; LIFT cohort, 5-year outcome: 11% for 24-28 weeks, 21·5% for 29-32 weeks, 19·6% for 33-34 weeks, P = 0·11). After adjusting for confounding variables, a lower GA (< 29 weeks) was significantly associated with decreased risk of AD in the Epipage cohort [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0·57, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0·37-0·87; P = 0·009] and the LIFT cohort (aOR 0·41, 95% CI 0·18-0·90; P = 0·03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Very low GA (< 29 weeks) was associated with a lower risk of AD compared with higher GA (29-34 weeks) and full-term birth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dermatology, UMR 1280 Nantes University Hospital, Nantes, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barbarot
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gras-Leguen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Colas
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Garrot
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Darmaun
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Larroque
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Roze
authors.forename: P Y
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Ancel
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D062071:Infant, Extremely Premature; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D061212:Memory, Episodic; D012307:Risk Factors