Danish scientists show that a defect in the gene, which controls the thickness of the skin, causes 11 % of the cases of children eczema in Denmark.
A thick and impenetrable skin is an important protection against children eczema. However, the gene defect disables the ability of the skin to create a thick and tight barrier to hold on to the fluid, whereby the fluid penetrates through the skin and disappears from the body. The defect also makes it easy for toxins and microbes to penetrate into the skin. This might be the reason why there is a strong correlation between children eczema, asthma and allergy.
The gene defect affects the protein Filaggrin, and according to the new research, the defect causes 15% of all cases of eczema, asthma and allergy.
It is possible by one simple test to find out whether a child has the gene defect or not. Thereby it is possible for the child to avoid those environmental effects, which can provoke the development of eczema.
Reference: Dagens Medicin, accessed 23rd of March 2007 at http://www.dagensmedicin.dk/
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