Eczema and cardiovascular risk factors in 2 US adult population studies

Abstract

Background: Eczema is associated with high rates of sleep disturbance and quality-of-life impairment. These factors might have a negative impact on psychosocial development and behavior and could increase cardiovascular risk.

Objective: We sought to determine whether adults with eczema have increased cardiovascular risk factors.

Methods: We analyzed data for 27,157 and 34,525 adults aged 18 to 85 years from the 2010 and 2012 National Health Interview Survey.

Results: Adults with eczema had higher odds of ever smoking 100 cigarettes in their lifetime (survey logistic regression; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.32; 95% CI, 1.18-1.47) and current smoking history (aOR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.12-1.45), with significantly younger age of onset (survey linear regression; adjusted β, -0.58; 95% CI, -0.95 to -0.21). Eczema was also associated with greater odds of ever drinking 12 or more alcoholic beverages annually (aOR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.03-1.31), including current intake of moderate (aOR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.09-1.62) and heavier (aOR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.23-2.03) amounts. Adults with a history of eczema had lower odds of daily vigorous activity (aOR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.63-0.99) and lower frequency of vigorous activity in the past week (adjusted β, -0.46; 95% CI, -0.72 to -0.21) than did adults without a history of eczema. Those with eczema had a higher body mass index than did those without eczema (adjusted β, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.37-1.36), particularly a body mass index of 35 or more (aOR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.16-2.05), and higher odds of hypertension (aOR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.18-1.85), hypertension on 2 visits (aOR, 1.56; 1.22-1.99), and lifetime prediabetes (aOR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.19-2.45). Finally, there were significant interactions between eczema and sleep disturbances such that eczema associated with fatigue, daytime sleepiness, or insomnia was associated with even higher odds of obesity, hypertension, hypertension on 2 visits, prediabetes, diabetes, and high cholesterol than eczema alone.

Conclusions: We found that eczema in adults is a marker for cardiovascular risk, emphasizing the importance of behavioral modification and perhaps more aggressive interventions to better manage eczema.

Keywords: Atopic dermatitis; BMI; alcohol; body mass index; diabetes; eczema; fatigue; high cholesterol; hypertension; insomnia; insulin resistance; obesity; physical activity; prediabetes; sleepiness; smoking.