Korean J Dermatol.
1995 Feb;33(1):1-7.
The Prevalence and Some Minor clinical Features of Atopic Dermatitis
Abstract
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BACKGROUND: The incidence of atopic of atopic dermatitis (AD) varies widely by different ages and it has been well-founded that the epidemiology of AD has been studied on admission of the first grade schoolchildren. AD is a common skin disease of childhood and tends to increase significantly during recent decades, but informations regarding the exact prevalence of AD, based on the large-scale general population study, are unavailable in korea.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to elucidate the exact prevalence of AD and to evaluate the diagnostic significance of some well-known minor clinical features associated with AD in the first grade school children in one of Kouean cities, Puchon, kyunggi-do.
METHODS
Four thousands and eighteen first grde school children (boys ; 2072, girls ; 1946) participated inthis study. Two dermatologists determined the presence of skin lesions by through skin examination. Diagnosis of AD was made only when typical flexural and/or extensor and/or infraauricular fissure/eczema exist. The frequency as well as their diagnostic significance of ten minor features of AD (xerosis, ichthyosiform skin lesion, hyperlinear palm,)keratosis pilaris, non-specific hand/foot dermatitis, cheilitis, nipple eczema, perifollicular accentuation, pityriasis alba, Dennie-Morgan infraorbital fold) thought suitable items for field survey by authors, were also evaluated.
RESULTS
The total prevalence of AD in the first grade school children of Puchon city was 3. 78%. The prevalence in boys was 3.37% and that in girls was 4.2 Associated minor features in individuals diagnosed as having AD were, in order of frequency, pityriasis alba (59.8%), perifollicular accentuation (57.8%), , keratosis pilaris (56.5%), hyperlinear palms (55.2%), xerosis (43.3%), Dennie-Morgan infraorbital fold (26.3%), etc. All but the ichthyosiform skin lesions and nipple eczema were significantly more frequent in individuals diagnosed as having AD (P<0.01).
CONCLUSION
A relatively low prevalence shown in this study might be due to rather strict diagnostic criteria. Some helpful and diagnostically significant minor clinical features of AD, suitable for field survy, is suggested. Further studies are needed for accurate estimation of the prevalence of AD in korea including different regional and age population.
