Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, recurrent, and inflammatory skin disease. It usually occurs in children with a clinical manifestation of severe itching. In recent years the incidence of AD is slowly increasing, which severely impacts the physical and mental health of children. This article summarizes the epidemiology, influencing factors, and management of this diseases.
Dermatitis, Atopic ; epidemiology ; etiology ; therapy ; Humans ; Prognosis

By searching the database of CNKI, Wanfang and PubMed, the prevalence and risk factors of atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, acne, and urticaria were relatively more investigated, which were the skin diseases of more concern in the current epidemiological study of skin diseases. Three national epidemiologic surveys reported that the prevalence of atopic dermatitis increased from 0.69% in 1998, to 3.07% in 2002, and 12.94% in 2014, respectively. The prevalence of psoriasis increased from 0.123% in 1984 to 0.47% in 2009 according to 2 national surveys. The prevalence of acne was 8.1% in a national investigation in 2008. Representative national prevalence data of urticaria is not available. Risk factors for these skin diseases are distinct. Atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and urticaria are more related to environment and mental stress, while acne is more related to skin type and dietary factors. Owing to the heterogeneities in diagnostic methods used in the dermatoepidemiologic surveys (some of the diagnoses were self-reported) and a lack of follow ups, the reliability of data remained questionable, and the comparability across the surveys was difficult. As a result, it is necessary to conduct population-based cohort studies on skin diseases in China.
Acne Vulgaris ; epidemiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Psoriasis ; epidemiology ; Reproducibility of Results ; Risk Factors ; Urticaria

OBJECTIVES: The frequency of visiting clinics in Jejudo for treating atopic dermatitis (AD) has been reported to be higher than that for other counties of Korea. The aim of this work was to estimate the prevalence of AD for the students of the primary, middle and high schools in Jejudo, Korea. METHODS: We planned to evaluate about 5,000 students, so classes were randomly selected by random systematic sampling methods. The parents of all the students in the selected classes were asked to respond to a structured questionnaire concerned with the prevalence of AD. RESULTS: The prevalence of AD based on ever being diagnosed by a doctor, on currently being diagnosed by a doctor, on ever being treated for AD by a doctor, on currently being treated for AD by a doctor was 25.57% (95% CI=25.3-25.8), 14.67% (95% CI=14.5-14.9), 21.90% (95% CI=21.6-22.2) and 14.41% (95% CI=14.2-14.6), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: On comparing the prevalence of AD, the students in Jejudo had a higher number of recurrence events in spite of their lower number of cases. Further studies are needed to evaluate these aspects of AD.
Adolescent ; Child ; Dermatitis, Atopic/*epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; *Martial Arts ; Questionnaires ; Students

Atopic eczema (AE) is a chronic, inflammatory skin disorder which usually develops in early childhood. In spite of intensive investigations, the causes of AE remain unclear, but are likely to be multifactorial in nature. Environmental factors or genetic-environmental interactions seem to play a key role in disease progression. Among various measures of AE managment, cutaneous hydration, which improves barrier function and relieve itchiness, may be helpful to reduce the need for topical steroid use and therefore should be used as a basic treatment. Avoiding aggravating factors is also a basic treatment of AE. Standard medical treatment with a pharmacologic approach may be necessary if basic treatment fails to control symptoms satisfactorily. Recently, more attention is given to a proactive therapeutic by regular intermittent application of low potency steroids or topical calcineurin inhibitors to prevent new flares. Furthermore, various targeted biologics are being introduced for AE control and are proposed as promising therapies. This paper provides a summary of the recent literature on the manangement of AE and a treatment guideline.
Biological Products ; Calcineurin ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Disease Progression ; Eczema ; Epidemiology ; Skin ; Steroids

BACKGROUND: Recent restriction enclonuclease analysis studies hsve revealed that MCV DNA can be classified into two major types, designated MCV-1 and MCV-2, by th:ir restriction enzyme cleavsge patterns. In earlier reports of MCV DNA analysis, MCV-2 was the main virus type found in genital lesions. However many recent studies cienied the relationship between virus type and anatomical distribution. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the ratio of MCV-l to MCV-2 in Korean isolates of MCV DNA and the relationship between MCV subtypes and with clinical features such as anatomical location, age, sex, numiber of lesions, and atopic dermatitis. METHODS: MCV DNA extrated from 112 cases of Korean patients waa examined by restriction endonuclease analysis using Brtm HI. RESULTS: 1. MCV-1 was found in 108 of 112 (96.4%) patients and MCV-2 in of 112 (3.6%) patients. The ratio of MCV-1 to MCV-2 wss 28:1. 2. There was no significant ciprrelation between MCV subtypes and the age, sex, number of lesions, atopic dermatitis, and anatoimic loction. 3. Lesions induced by MCV-1 MCV-2 were indistinguishable on the brsis of size and form. CONCLUSION: This study showis that the ratio of MCV-1 to MCV-2 was 28:1 in Korean molluscum contagiosum patients and there was no relationship between MCV subtyies and lesional morphology or snatomical distribution.
Dermatitis, Atopic ; DNA ; DNA Restriction Enzymes ; Humans ; Molecular Epidemiology* ; Molluscum contagiosum virus* ; Molluscum Contagiosum*

The prevalence and patterns of food allergy are highly variable in different parts of the world. Differences in food allergy epidemiology may be attributed to a complex interplay of genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors, suggesting that mechanisms of food allergy may differ in various global populations. Genetic polymorphisms, migration, climate, and infant feeding practices all modulate food allergy risk, and possibly also the efficacy of interventions aimed at primary prevention of food allergy development. Approaches to diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of food allergy should thus be tailored carefully to each population's unique genetic and environmental make-up. Future research in the context of food allergy prevention should focus on elucidating factors determining differential responses between populations.
Climate ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Diagnosis ; Epidemiology ; Epigenomics ; Food Hypersensitivity* ; Genetics ; Humans ; Infant ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Prevalence ; Primary Prevention

Allergic diseases, including allergic rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis, are common heterogeneous diseases that encompass diverse phenotypes and different pathogeneses. Phenotype studies of allergic diseases can facilitate the identification of risk factors and their underlying pathophysiology, resulting in the application of more effective treatment, selection of better treatment responses, and prediction of prognosis for each phenotype. In the early phase of phenotype studies in allergic diseases, artificial classifications were usually performed based on clinical features, such as triggering factors or the presence of atopy, which can result in the biased classification of phenotypes and limit the characterization of heterogeneous allergic diseases. Subsequent phenotype studies have suggested more diverse phenotypes for each allergic disease using relatively unbiased statistical methods, such as cluster analysis or latent class analysis. The classifications of phenotypes in allergic diseases may overlap or be unstable over time due to their complex interactions with genetic and encountered environmental factors during the illness, which may affect the disease course and pathophysiology. In this review, diverse phenotype classifications of allergic diseases, including atopic dermatitis, asthma, and wheezing in children, allergic rhinitis, and atopy, are described. The review also discusses the applications of the results obtained from phenotype studies performed in other countries to Korean children. Consideration of changes in the characteristics of each phenotype over time in an individual’s lifespan is needed in future studies.
Asthma ; Bias (Epidemiology) ; Child ; Classification ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Humans ; Phenotype ; Prognosis ; Respiratory Sounds ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; Risk Factors

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, relapsing, inflammatory skin disease. Children with AD tend to have a higher prevalence of food allergies. This study investigated the clinical significance of food sensitization in AD patients. A total of 266 AD patients participated in this study. The prevalence of food sensitization and clinically relevant sensitization were compared in the subjects according to their age and AD severity. Sera from all patients were analyzed for food-specific IgE levels using the Pharmacia CAP System FEIA. The serum specific IgE levels for egg, milk, peanut and soybean were measured. Patients were regarded as sensitized to the food if their food-specific IgE levels were above 0.35 kUA/L. Also the food-specific IgE levels, the so-called diagnostic decision point, which is recommended as the clinically relevant level, for clinical food allergy, as suggested by Sampson et al, was used as an alternative method. From the measurement of food-specific IgE antibodies of the four foods, egg was the most highly sensitized and the main causative allergenic food in children with AD. The positive rates of specific IgE to the four major food allergens, and the prevalences of clinically relevant food sensitization, were higher for all foods tested in the group less than 1 year of age, and were significantly higher in moderate to severe AD compared to mild AD in infants and young children. In summary, presence of food specific IgE is prevalent in infants and young children with AD, and clinically relevant food sensitization is important in Korean infants and children with moderate to severe AD.
Child, Preschool ; Dermatitis, Atopic/*immunology ; Egg Hypersensitivity/epidemiology ; Female ; Food Hypersensitivity/diagnosis/*epidemiology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E/blood ; Infant ; Male ; Milk Hypersensitivity/epidemiology ; Peanut Hypersensitivity/epidemiology ; Soybeans/immunology

OBJECTIVE: Atopic dermatitis is a chronically relapsing inflammatory skin disease. However, little is known about the prevalence of atopic dermatitis outside of North America and Europe. We evaluated the nationwide prevalence of atopic dermatitis with the comparison of prevalence between 1995 and 2000, and between Seoul and provincial cities in Korea. We also evaluated the risk factors for atopic dermatitis. METHODS: A cross-sectional ISAAC based questionnaire survey was conducted on random samples of schoolchildren (6 to 15 year olds) in 1995 and 2000. And kindergarten children (5 year olds) were surveyed in 2003, throughout South Korea. RESULTS: The lifetime and last twelve months prevalence of atopic dermatitis in Korean school-aged children was increased from 1995 to 2000. The twelve-month prevalence of atopic dermatitis was higher in Seoul than in other provincial cities in 1995, but the prevalence of atopic dermatitis in Seoul and Provincial Centers became similar in 2000. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of atopic dermatitis in Korean school-aged children was increased from 1995 to 2000. The further evaluations that include objective examination are necessary to confirm these outcomes because the environmental and risk factors may be different among the countries according to their life styles.
Child* ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Epidemiology ; Europe ; Humans ; Korea* ; Life Style ; North America ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Seoul ; Skin Diseases

BACKGROUND: Clinical features of alopecia areata in children are diverse and unpredictable. Epidemiology of alopecia areata in adults is relatively well documented, but not in children. OBJECTIVE: We performed a clinical and psychological study for alopecia areata in children in order to evaluate the clinical characteristics and psychosomatic dynamics. METHODS: A clinical and psychological study of 161 patients(alopecia areata(AA) type 134 patients, alopecia totalis(AT) type 15 patients, alopecia universalis(AU) type 12 patients) were performed with alopecia under 15 years old from April 1995 to December 2000 at the Alopecia Clinic, Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, Chung Ang University. RESULTS: Average age of alopecia areata in children was 7.8 years, and 55.9% were primary school students. The most common type was AA(83.2%). Previous episodes of alopecia areata were observed in 11.8%, and family history of alopecia areata was observed in 6.8%(11/161). The most common associated disease was atopic dermatitis(45.3%). The eldest sibling or the children with deficient parent-child relationship were a more vulnerable group. On the neuropsychiatric consult, problematic cases were observed in 68.3%(110/161), and neurotic children was the most common problem among them 42.7%(47/110). Efficacy of treatment in the group treated with an intralesional injection of triamcinolone acetonide revealed no significant differences from the group treated with DPCP. CONCLUSIONS: From the above results it is concluded that alopecia areata in children was predominantly developed in primary school students. Atopic dermatitis is the most common associated disease. The relationship between parents and children is an important factor in the development of the disease or may contribute as an aggravating factor.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Alopecia Areata* ; Alopecia* ; Child* ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Dermatology ; Epidemiology ; Humans ; Injections, Intralesional ; Parent-Child Relations ; Parents ; Siblings ; Triamcinolone Acetonide