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Cohort study for prevention of atopic dermatitis using hair mineral contents
Tomomi Yamada1, Todd Saunders, Shohei Kuroda
1Department of Translational Medical Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Mie University, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu, Mie, Japan. t-yamada@doc.medic.mie-u.ac.jp
Insights
Infant selenium and strontium hair levels are linked to atopic dermatitis (AD) risk. Selenium deficiency increases AD risk, while infant strontium deficiency also raises risk, but maternal strontium deficiency lowers it.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric dermatology
- Environmental health
- Nutritional science
Background:
- Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin condition in infants.
- Early identification of risk factors for AD is crucial for timely intervention.
- Hair mineral analysis offers a non-invasive method to assess trace element exposure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between hair mineral concentrations and the incidence of atopic dermatitis in infants.
- To identify specific minerals that may serve as biomarkers for AD risk.
- To evaluate the predictive value of hair mineral levels for AD development.
Main Methods:
- A cohort study involving 834 mother-infant pairs.
- Hair samples collected at 1 and 10-month health checkups.
- Proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analysis for 32 mineral concentrations.
- Statistical examination of mineral data and family history for AD associations.
- Logistic regression analysis for predictive modeling.
Main Results:
- Selenium (Se) and strontium (Sr) concentrations in infant hair showed statistically significant associations with AD onset.
- Se deficiency in either infant or mother was linked to increased AD risk.
- Infant Sr deficiency increased AD risk, whereas maternal Sr deficiency decreased it.
- Logistic regression yielded a sensitivity of 65.9%, specificity of 70.5%, and a negative predictive value of 97.6%.
Conclusions:
- Hair selenium and strontium levels are potential indicators for atopic dermatitis risk in infants.
- Mineral imbalances, particularly Se and Sr deficiencies, may play a role in AD pathogenesis.
- Hair mineral analysis demonstrates promising predictive capabilities for identifying infants at high risk for AD.
Abstract:
We undertook a cohort study to determine the association between hair mineral content and the onset of atopic dermatitis (AD) in infants. Eight hundred and thirty-four mother-infant pairs, who donated hair samples during one and ten-month health checkups, had their samples analyzed by proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) for 32 mineral concentrations, and these mineral concentration data together with their AD family history were statistically examined for any relationships between them. Results indicated that of all minerals, only selenium (Se) and strontium (Sr) showed statistically significant associations for infants, while the same two elements were only marginally significant for mothers. Se deficiency in either infant or mother increased the AD risk. A Sr deficiency in infants increased AD risk, while the same deficiency in mothers decreased the risk. To predict the probability of AD development using this data, we performed logistic regression analysis, which provided a sensitivity of 65.9%, a specificity of 70.5%, a positive predictive value (PPV) of 10.3%, a negative predictive value (NPV) of 97.6% and a relative risk (RR) of 4.2, all far better than any corresponding figures explicitly mentioned in previously published papers.
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