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Skin prick test can identify eczematous infants at risk of asthma and allergic rhinitis

A J Lowe1, C S Hosking, C M Bennett

  • 1Centre for Molecular, Environmental, Genetic and Analytic Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry & Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. lowe.adrian@gmail.com

Clinical and Experimental Allergy : Journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology
|September 20, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Infants with atopic eczema (sensitized) face a higher risk of developing asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR) by age 7. Skin prick tests (SPTs) in early childhood eczema can predict these risks.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
  • Dermatology
  • Respiratory Medicine

Background:

  • Eczema assessment for allergic sensitization is not standard in infants and young children.
  • Atopic eczema in infancy may be linked to later development of allergic diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if infants with atopic eczema (sensitized) have a higher risk of asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR) compared to those with non-atopic eczema (unsensitized).

Main Methods:

  • A birth cohort of 620 infants with a family history of atopy was followed.
  • Eczema presence was documented until age 2.
  • Skin prick tests (SPTs) for common allergens were performed at 6, 12, and 24 months.
  • Asthma and AR were assessed via interviews at ages 6 and 7.

Main Results:

  • Children with atopic eczema (28.7%) had a significantly higher risk of asthma (OR=3.52) and AR (OR=2.91) compared to those with non-atopic eczema.
  • A large SPT in infancy, indicating food allergy, further increased asthma risk (OR=4.61).
  • Non-atopic eczema did not show a strong association with increased asthma or AR risk.

Conclusions:

  • Skin prick tests (SPTs) in infants with eczema can identify those at higher risk for developing childhood asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR).
  • Early sensitization assessment in infants with eczema is valuable for predicting future allergic conditions.
Abstract

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