Worldwide variations in the prevalence of symptoms of atopic eczema in the international study of asthma and allergies in childhood
Open accessAbstract
Background Little is known about the prevalence of atopic eczema outside Northern Europe.Objectives We sought to describe the magnitude and variation in the prevalence of atopic eczema symptoms throughout the world.Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted on random samples of schoolchildren aged 6 to 7 years and 13 to 14 years from centers in 56 countries throughout the world. Those children with a positive response to being questioned about the presence of an itchy relapsing skin rash in the last 12 months that had affected their skin creases were considered to have atopic eczema. Children whose atopic eczema symptoms resulted in sleep disturbance for 1 or more nights per week were considered to have severe atopic eczema.Results Complete data was available for 256,410 children aged 6 to 7 years in 90 centers and 458,623 children aged 13 to 14 years in 153 centers. The prevalence range for symptoms of atopic eczema was from less than 2% in Iran to over 16% in Japan and Sweden in the 6 to 7 year age range and less than 1% in Albania to over 17% in Nigeria for the 13 to 14 year age range. Higher prevalences of atopic eczema symptoms were reported in Australasia and Northern Europe, and lower prevalences were reported in Eastern and Central Europe and Asia. Similar patterns were seen for symptoms of severe atopic eczema.Conclusions Atopic eczema is a common health problem for children and adolescents throughout the world. Symptoms of atopic eczema exhibit wide variations in prevalence both within and between countries inhabited by similar ethnic groups, suggesting that environmental factors may be critical in determining disease expression. Studies that include objective skin examinations are required to confirm these findings.
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Atopic dermatitis affects approximately 5% to 20% of children aged 6 to 7 and 13 to 14 years worldwide.
“affecting approximately 5% to 20% of children aged 6 to 7 and 13 to 14 years.1896”
From International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Allergic Rhinitis (2018) · cites this paper as [1896]
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- Authors
- Williams, H., Robertson, C., Stewart, A., Aït-Khaled, N., Anabwani, G., Anderson, R., Asher, I., Beasley, R., Björkstén, B., Burr, M., Clayton, T., Crane, J., Ellwood, P., Keil, U., Lai, C., Mallol, J., Martinez, F., Mitchell, E., Montefort, S., Pearce, N., Shah, J., Sibbald, B., Strachan, D., von Mutius, E., & Weiland, S. K.
- Affiliations
- Queen's Medical Centre (GB)
- Royal Children's Hospital (AU)
- University of Auckland (NZ)
- St George's Hospital (GB)
- Linköping University (SE)
- University of Münster (DE)
- Chinese University of Hong Kong (HK)
- University of Arizona (US)
- Jaslok Hospital (IN)
- ORCID
- Venue
- Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 1999-01
- Volume
- 103
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 125-138
- ISSN
- 0091-6749 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1988990442
- Cited by
- 998
- References
- 28
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 41 · 2022: 38 · 2021: 47 · 2020: 37 · 2019: 28 · 2018: 32 · 2017: 33 · 2016: 38 · 2015: 53 · 2014: 36 · 2013: 34 · 2012: 50
- FWCI
- 30.50
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ORCA Online Research @Cardiff (Cardiff University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Waikato Medical Research Foundation
- Health Research Council of New Zealand
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Dermatology › Dermatology and Skin Diseases
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Asthma and respiratory diseases
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Dermatology › Contact Dermatitis and Allergies
- Keywords
- atopic dermatitis, prevalence, sleep disorders, childhood, adolescents, international variation, environmental factors
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Asthma, Child, Dermatitis, Atopic, Europe, Female, Humans, Hypersensitivity, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Severity of Illness Index
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