The occurrence of atopic dermatitis in North Europe: An international questionnaire study

doi:10.1016/S0190-9622(96)90009-2

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology

Volume 34, Issue 5, Part 1, May 1996, Pages 760-764

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0190-9622(96)90009-2 Get rights and content

Abstract

Background: Atopic dermatitis is a common multifactorial disease that seems to be increasing in frequency.

Objective: Our purpose was to determine the increased prevalence of atopic dermatitis in North Europe.

Methods: Approximately 3000 7-year-old school children in Denmark, Germany, and Sweden were enrolled in a cross-sectional questionnaire study that was conducted in the autumn of 1992 with common protocols and standardized procedures.

Results: The response rate was 90%. The frequency of atopic dermatitis was calculated to be 15.6% (95% confidence interval 14.2% to 17%) with some regional differences. Girls more often had flexural eczema and outnumbered boys in a ratio of 1.3:1.0. Boys more often had a personal history of asthma, whereas girls more often had a family history of asthma.

Conclusion: The increasing prevalence of atopic dermatitis has been confirmed. This simple questionnaire model works well, is cost effective, and is sufficiently sensitive and specific to conduct large-scale epidemiologic investigations in school children.

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A total of 14 non-English articles were included (Chinese [n = 5], Japanese [n = 1], Korean [n = 4], German [n = 2], Italian [n = 1], and Polish [n = 1]). The 101 observational studies were published from 1984 to 2017.7,16-116 Of these 101 studies, 39 (38.6%) were prospective cohort studies, 10 (9.9%) were retrospective cohort studies, 22 (21.8%) were case-control studies, and 30 (29.7%) were cross-sectional studies.
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Clinical and laboratory studyThe occurrence of atopic dermatitis in North Europe: An international questionnaire study

Abstract

J Am Acad Dermatol

J Am Acad Dermatol

Changes in the reported prevalence of childhood eczema since the 1939–1945 war

Lancet

Atopic dermatitis: a genetic-epidemiological study in a population-based twin sample

J Am Acad Dermatol

The epidemiology of atopic dermatitis

Childhood eczema: Disease of the advantaged?

BMJ

Secular change in the occurrence of atopic dermatitis

Acta Derm Venereol Suppl (Stockh)

Diagnostic features of atopic dermatitis

Acta Derm Venereol Suppl (Stockh)

A diagnostic tool for atopic dermatitis based on clinical criteria

Acta Derm Venereol Suppl (Stockh)

Clinical and laboratory study
The occurrence of atopic dermatitis in North Europe: An international questionnaire study