[Recurrent respiratory manifestations in atopic dermatitis in small children]

The aim of the present study was the retrospective analysis (in the last 5 years) of 89 children, aged between 3 and 24 months of life, diagnosed with atopic dermatitis (D.A.) and wheezing, in comparison with a second group of 31 children admitted in the Paediatric Clinic for recurrent wheezing (R.W.) without atopic cutaneous signs. Evaluating the therapeutical response on the basis of the clinical and biological features for each child, we have noticed for the first group (with D.A.), the followings: 30% of patients didn't experience a favourable outcome and were complicated with "severe" asthma; 54% of subjects have manifested airway hyperreactivity (nocturnal and early morning cough); 81% of children have associated allergic rhinitis. The observations in the second group have suggested that, only in 12% of patients with R.W. has been manifested asthma as a major complication. The main risk factors for asthma in the first group were as follows: precocious atopic eczema, personal or family history of atopy, nourishment with non-maternal milk and passive smoke. We consider that asthma at infants and children is underestimated because of the difficulties of diagnosis at this age.