[Atopic eczema common at all ages]

Abstract

Atopic eczema common at all ages Eczema (atopic dermatitis) is an inflammatory skin disorder with dry skin and recurrent episodes of inflammation and itch. Onset is most common the first two years of life, but also occurs among older children, adolescents and adults. The prevalence of eczema has increased in Sweden and other industrialized countries the last decades; 15-30% of children and 2-10% of adults are affected. Approximately half of children with eczema early in life are in remission in adolescence. However, many of these will relapse later in life, often as hand eczema. Children with eczema are at increased risk to develop IgE sensitization to common food- and airborne allergens, food allergy, asthma and rhinitis. In addition, recent studies have reported that having eczema is associated with non-allergic disorders such as ADHD, depression and anxiety, epilepsy, overweight and obesity, cardiovascular disease, and different kinds of malignancies. There are also studies that have not found an association between eczema and the above mentioned non-allergic comorbidities. Thus, the association between eczema and non-allergic comorbidities are still largely unknown.