title: Increased risk of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome in children with atopic dermatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinical and immunological studies have consistently shown a relationship between atopic diathesis and idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS). However, no large population cohort study has yet to demonstrate the nature of the relationship between these disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  Claims data from a random selection of children representing half of the insured population in Taiwan were examined. During the period from 1998 to 2007, we identified 192,295 children aged <18 years with newly diagnosed atopic dermatitis (AD) and 769,169 frequency-matched controls. Incidence of INS and hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The AD cohort had a 2-fold higher overall incidence of INS than the non-AD cohort [7.20 vs. 3.60 per 100,000 person-years, respectively; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.50-2.66]. The HR for INS increased with age and was higher among females. The HR for INS was also higher in AD children with more medical visits per year, ranging from 0.94 for those having ≤3 visits to 38.6 for those having >6 visits (trend test P < 0.0001). In particular, the risk of INS clearly increased during the initial 5 years after AD onset.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children with AD have a greater incidence and risk of developing INS and this risk increases with AD severity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chang-Ching
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Jeng-Dau
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Cheng-Li
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Te-Chun
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Tsai-Chung
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Chi-Jung
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D009402:Nephrosis, Lipoid / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012306:Risk; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population