title: Atopic Dermatitis: A Cross-Sectional (Descriptive) Study of 100 Cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atopic dermatitis is a distinct age-related clinical entity. Its etiopathogenesis is largely insubstantial. Nevertheless, it seems to be an outcome of interplay of maternal and inheritance, pregnancy/intrauterine and environmental factors. Besides, immune dysregulation, and nutritional supplements also play essential roles. Its diagnosis has been perpetuated by three or more major/minor criteria.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  An endeavor to study its demographic and clinical pattern in contemporary prospective.
  
  
  METHODS
  100 fresh patients of atopic dermatitis, diagnosed on the basis of an established three or more major and minor criteria, salient presentations of which were recorded in a preset proforma, which also recorded age, duration, age of onset, and sex. Serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels were determined by conventional technique. The data thus obtained was analysed to study its clinical pattern and to correlate its severity to IgE levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Its overall (new and old) prevalence was 0.98%, while that of new patients was 0.24%. 83 (83%) were in the age group of 2-12 years, of which 54 (83.1%) were males and 29 (82.9%) were female, of which 70 (70%) had urban, while 30 (30%) had rural background. Its duration varied from 8 to 192 weeks, with a mean of 76 weeks, and a standard deviation of 21.42 weeks [76 ± 21.42].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Atopic dermatitis is a discrete, overt, age and IgE-related entity frequently displaying varying demographic and clinical connotation.
authors.affiliation: Dermato Venereology (Skin/VD) Center, Sehgal Nursing Home, Panchwati, Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Virendra N
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Sehgal
authors.affiliation: Skin Institute, School of Dermatology, Greater Kailash, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Govind
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Srivastava
authors.affiliation: Skin Institute, School of Dermatology, Greater Kailash, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Ashok K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Aggarwal
authors.affiliation: Skin Institute, School of Dermatology, Greater Kailash, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Deepti
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Saxena
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Bankura Sammilani Medical College, Bankura, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Kingshuk
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Dr RML hospital and Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and research (PGIMER), New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Ananta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khurana
keywords: Atopic Dermatitis; immunoglobulin IgE; prospective cross-sectional