[Growth impairment in infants with atopic dermatitis]

The study deals with the physical growth of 38 infants with atopic dermatitis and 11 controls. The SD scores of hight and wight in severe group was significantly lower than those of mild and modelate groups. And serum IGF-1 levels showed lower than those of mild and modelate groups. On the otherhand, the SD scores of weight and serum IGF-1 levels showed no significant difference between the patient with and without avoidance of allergenic foods, though a lot of patients belonged to severe group avoided their allergenic foods. These results suggested that pathogeneses of the impaired physical growth of severe atopic infants due to malnutrition because of their malabsorption. In conclusion, avoidance of allergenic foods may needs to prevent from the growth failure in severe atopic infants.