Contrary to common belief, only a minority of infants and young children with atopic dermatitis go on to develop asthma.

Eczema and asthma are complex disorders brought about by an interaction of numerous genetic and environmental factors, only few of which are known.

 

In a new Dutch review 13 prospective cohort studies were examined.

The risk of developing asthma in children with atopic eczema during the first 4 years of life was assessed.

 

In four birth cohort studies, atopic eczema was associated with a statistically insignificant 2.14-fold increase in the risk of developing asthma.

In nine eczema cohort studies, the weighted prevalence of asthma at follow-up was 29.5% for the mixed group of inpatients and outpatients.

 

According to the researchers these estimates are lower than the risk estimates provided in many review articles and medical textbooks, where the occurrence of astma is the rule and not the exception in these children.

The review shows that on average, only 1 in 3 young children with atopic eczema develops asthma at the age of 6 years or older.

 

The researches conclude that the relationship between asthma and atopic eczema seems complex. Both genetic and clinical findings suggest that it is not one of simple progression of atopic eczema into asthma as popularly described in the atopic march concept.

 

Read more about Atopic eczema.

 

 

SOURCE: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2007;120:565-569.