Early Exposure To Cats May Increase Eczema Risk In Infants

Children who are exposed to cats soon after birth face an increased risk of developing eczema, an inflammatory condition that causes the skin to become red, scaly and itchy, says a study.
Esmeralda Morales at the University of Arizona in Tucson and other researchers studied 486 children and asked their parents how many cats and dogs they had in the house at the time the child was born, according to science portal EurekAlert.
The researchers then followed up one year later to see which children had been diagnosed with eczema. Of the 134 children with cats in the household, 27.6 percent had eczema by one year of age, compared with 17.8 percent of 286 children without cats.
Previous studies have found that people with eczema have a higher chance of also having allergic conditions, including hay fever and asthma.
"Other studies have found that having cats or dogs at home seems to be protective against allergic diseases, so we expected to have similar findings," said Morales.
Being exposed to two or more dogs at home suggested a slightly protective, but not significant, effect on children’s risk of developing eczema, he however said.
"Pets are a source of a compound called endotoxin, and if a child is exposed to endotoxin early in life, the immune system may be skewed away from developing an allergic profile," she said.
It is possible that the children in the study who developed eczema at age one might end up having a reduced risk of asthma or other allergic diseases later in life, Morales noted.
"The findings do seem to add more questions about pets and asthma and allergies," she said. "Since there are a lot of contradictory data out there already, clearly it’s a topic that needs further research."

The Eczema Fabric Fiber Picture

An Osaka-based textile maker has developed a new fiber that is effective in soothing the itchiness of atopic dermatitis.
About 80 out of 100 atopic dermatitis sufferers found in clinical testing that their itchiness was reduced when wearing underwear made from the fiber.
Those who suffer from atopic dermatitis, more commonly called eczema, have intense itchiness of skin. And the attendant excessive scratching further aggravates the skin condition by bacterial infection and bleeding, causing more itchiness.
Drawing on research conducted by Shinshu University and other institutions, the textile maker, Daiwabo Neu Co., dyed a fiber with iron phthalocyanine, an organic chemical that destroys the protein that accelerates itchiness.
As a result, the firm found that the fiber decomposes allergens such as dust mites and house dust, which are a major cause of itchiness.
In the tests, around 100 sufferers wore underwear made of the fiber when they went to sleep at night. In the morning, they answered questions about how itchy they felt. Doctors also checked their skin for the presence of scratches on their bodies.

Eczema: What It Is And What Causes It

Eczema is characterized by a rash, dryness of skin, itching, and redness of skin (Rouse). The symptoms of eczema occur due to the overproduction of damaging inflammatory skin cells and continue to worsen as a result of certain factors in the environment. The cause of eczema can be traced to environmental factors. Foods, shampoos, soaps, laundry detergents, synthetic fabrics, stress, and temperature changes are capable of irritating already existing eczema and may even be the cause of a new eczema condition. Although eczema is a chronic skin condition, there are various forms of treatment and interventions available to help control eczema. Eczema is a hereditary condition and thus is not contagious to others. A general picture of eczema can encompass different stages. Some people may have only a small patch of affected skin while others may have larger patches all over the body. An individual may experience one mild eczema outbreak while others experience chronic severe incidences of eczema. In some cases after an eczema outbreak the skin remains more reactive than it was prior to the outbreak. The eczema-affected skin is very sensitive and the individual must be aware of the trigger factors and try to avoid them.

Eczema on Infants' Arms and Joints Linked to Future Atopic Dermatitis

Skin lesions on infants' arms and at their limb joints best predicted atopic dermatitis by age three, according Danish researchers
"Although the predilection sites in the first years of life have been reported to be the head, trunk, and the extensor surfaces of the extremities, to our knowledge the early presentation and progression of eczema lesions have not been described prospectively in detail," said Hans Bisgaard, M D , of Copenhagen University here, and colleagues, in the May 16 issue of the Archives of Dermatology
For 356 high-risk children (208 female), in a prospective, longitudinal birth cohort, the cumulative incidence of atopic dermatitis by age three was 44% (155 children) The prevalence rate peaked at age two for boys and at age 2 5 for girls, although there were no other sex differences in the proportion of children who developed atopic dermatitis, the researchers reported
The earliest sign of dermatitis leading to atopic dermatitis was recorded at one month, with the highest incidence occurring during the second half-year of life, according to the researchers For those with complete follow-up, the cumulative incidence of atopic dermatitis was 31% (109) at one year, 41% (147) at age two, and 44% (155) at three years
All children participated in the Copenhagen Prospective Study on Asthma in Childhood (COPSAC) Of 411 children at the outset, 356 completed the study, and all were born to mothers with a history of asthma, while 48% of the mothers also had a history of atopic dermatitis
A comparison of the skin lesions during the first year and a half of life between children who eventually were or were not diagnosed with atopic dermatitis found that eczema at the arms and around the arm and leg joints had the highest predictive value
When the risk of atopic dermatitis at age three was estimated for 10 body regions, early lesions presenting on the arms and joints showed a strong correlation to later development of the skin disorder (OR, 7 5-11 8; maximum 95% CI 2 7-50 9), the researchers said
By comparison, the odds ratio for the trunk was lower (OR 5 6 CI 2 9-10 6), while the diaper area showed no correlation (OR 1 9 CI 0 9-4 1)
The cheeks were affected in almost 80% of the children with atopic dermatitis, but cheek lesions were seen in more than 40% of children without atopic dermatitis, the investigators said
Seborrheic dermatitis should not be mistakenly diagnosed as atopic dermatitis, the researchers cautioned, inasmuch as it was diagnosed equally in children with and without the inflammatory skin disease and also in those without other skin lesions, Dr Bisgaard said
Severity was scored using the Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) index, which included the extent, intensity, and subjective symptoms, such as pruritus and sleeplessness According to the SCORAD index, mild symptoms were (<15>40 points)
Most infants presented with mild eczema, and the severity declined with age, with an increased fraction of mild cases, a reduced fraction of moderate to severe cases, and no obvious sex differences Even if the present cohort is at high risk for atopic dermatitis, the severity of the symptoms should not necessarily be expected to increase compared with children from a non-risk population, Dr Bisgaard noted
In following the course, though not the significance, of the lesions, the researchers wrote that skin involvement for infants with atopic dermatitis began at the scalp, forehead, ear, and neck, and continued down to the trunk, finally affecting the flexor sides of the extremities However, the eye area, palm of hand or foot sole, and nose regions were very rarely affected
As for treatment, topical corticosteroids (mild, mid-strength, and potent) were prescribed in 7 6 courses per child during the first three years of life, with a mean ±SD of 15 ±14 days per treatment period Seven children with respiratory symptoms received systemic corticosteroids on eight occasions, while children with other types of lesions also received topical corticosteroids
The risk of misclassification in this study was low, the researchers wrote, because the diagnosis, detailed phenotyping, and management of skin lesions were controlled solely by the research unit's physicians However, they added, results from high-risk children in this high-risk cohort cannot be generalized, and validation in unselected populations may be needed
"This improved description of the progression of skin lesions facilitates early diagnosis of AD in infancy and allows studies examining early intervention and prevention strategies," Dr Bisgaard concluded
Although the children in Danish study were treated with topical corticosteroids, an editorial in the same issue of the Archives of Dermatology by Harvard's Abrar Qureshi, M D , and Michael Fischer, M D , warned about the use of topical calcineurin inhibitors, Protopic (tacrolimus) and Elidel (pimecrolimus), for atopic dermatitis for adults and children younger than two years
The FDA is concerned, Drs Qureshi and Fischer wrote, that the drugs are being inappropriately marketed to pediatricians and non-dermatologists who may be otherwise hesitant to use a topical steroid
Data so far suggest that a significant number of prescriptions are being written for both Protopic and Elidel for children in this age group, despite this being an off-label use of both drugs, the researchers wrote
A Black-Box warning issued by the FDA last January stated that reasons for this action include sporadic reports of lymphoma and skin cancer in some individuals using these topical calcineurin inhibitors; concerns about systemic absorption resulting in greater systemic exposure in a subpopulation of treated patients; unusually aggressive and inappropriate marketing of topical calcineurin inhibitors as first-line agents; and early carcinogenicity in animals treated with very high systemic doses
The editorialists concluded: "When the next promising new agent is approved by the FDA, we hope that medical professionals will provide the guidance our patients so sorely need by choosing patients for new drugs carefully, monitoring them closely, and encouraging them to enroll in post-marketing research studies whenever possible "

A General Picture Of Eczema

Eczema is characterized by a rash, dryness of skin, itching, and redness of skin.
The symptoms of eczema occur due to the overproduction of damaging inflammatory skin cells and continue to worsen as a result of certain factors in the environment.
The cause of eczema can be traced to environmental factors. Foods, shampoos, soaps, laundry detergents, synthetic fabrics, stress, and temperature changes are capable of irritating already existing eczema and may even be the cause of a new eczema condition.
Although eczema is a chronic skin condition, there are various forms of treatment and interventions available to help control eczema.
Eczema is a hereditary condition and thus is not contagious to others. A general picture of eczema can encompass different stages. Some people may have only a small patch of affected skin while others may have larger patches all over the body.
An individual may experience one mild eczema outbreak while others experience chronic severe incidences of eczema. In some cases after an eczema outbreak the skin remains more reactive than it was prior to the outbreak. The eczema-affected skin is very sensitive and the individual must be aware of the trigger factors and try to avoid them.

The Healing Picture of Eczema

With any treatment, Be patient! Results may not be immediate. The healing process takes several days, even with a tissue as active as skin.
Remember that treating skin disease is a mixture of both science and art, and fine-tuning may improve the outcome, even with relatively small changes. It's best to make these in close partnership with your trusted provider. A small proportion of persons with eczema will learn that their disease is primarily based on an allergic reaction to something. Indeed, the hope of every person with eczema is for a real cure, but at this writing there isn't one in sight. The clinical management of this disease remains quite complex, with much trial and error required. It's always a good idea to look into any rumored new therapy, whether you actually try it or not. And if you do try it, don't be too put off by apparent failures, or too ecstatic at what appear to be promising results. Although your disease is stubborn, it is also manageable. This information sets forth current opinions from recognized authorities, but it does not dictate an exclusive treatment course. Persons with questions about a medical condition should consult a physician who is knowledgeable about that condition.