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Growth in atopic eczema: a controlled study by questionnaire
M G Pike1, C L Chang, D J Atherton
1Hospital for Sick Children, London.
Archives of Disease in Childhood
|November 1, 1989
Summary
Children with atopic eczema are significantly shorter than their healthy peers. This finding holds true even when considering children with associated asthma, suggesting a link between eczema and reduced growth in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Dermatology
- Genetics
Background:
- Atopic eczema is a common chronic inflammatory skin condition in children.
- Growth patterns in children with chronic conditions are of significant clinical interest.
- Previous studies have explored various factors influencing growth in atopic eczema patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between atopic eczema and children's height.
- To determine if parental height influences the observed height differences.
- To assess the impact of associated asthma on height in children with atopic eczema.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 128 children with atopic eczema and 117 healthy controls.
- Parental questionnaires included standardized home measurements of child and parental heights.
- Statistical comparison of heights between case and control groups.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in parental height was observed between the groups.
- Children with atopic eczema were significantly shorter than healthy controls.
- The height difference remained significant after excluding children with comorbid asthma.
Conclusions:
- Children diagnosed with atopic eczema exhibit significantly reduced stature compared to healthy children.
- Parental height does not appear to be a confounding factor in this height deficit.
- The findings suggest a potential intrinsic link between atopic eczema and impaired growth, independent of asthma comorbidity.