Air pollution might be an important trigger for atopic dermatitis. - GreenMedInfo Summary
Association between Air Pollution and Atopic Dermatitis in Guangzhou, China: Modification by Age and Season.
Br J Dermatol. 2020 Nov 1. Epub 2020 Nov 1. PMID: 33131069
H L Wang
BACKGROUND: The short-term effect of ambient air pollution on atopic dermatitis (AD), along with its effect modifiers, has not been fully addressed in previous studies.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the short-term associations between air pollution and AD, and identify effect modifications by age and season.
METHODS: We used the Generalized Additive Model to evaluate the short-term effect of ambient air pollution on daily hospital visits for AD, adjusting for potential confounders. Subgroup analyses were performed to identify potential effect modifications by season (warm and cool) and age (<18 years and≥18 years old).
RESULTS: A total of 29,972 hospital visits for atopic dermatitis were recorded in Guangzhou, China from January 19, 2013 to December 31, 2017. Among them, 72.8% were children, and 51.4% occurred in cool season. Both acute effects and delayed effects on AD hospital visits were significant for all air pollutants. Stronger effects were observed in cool season, approximately 1.7 to 3.0 times higher than those in warm season. Stronger effects were also observed among children, approximately 1.3 to 1.8 times higher than those among adults. Sensitivity analyses indicated our results were robust.
CONCLUSION: Air pollution might be an important trigger for atopic dermatitis in subtropical Guangzhou, China. Children are more vulnerable than adults and effects are stronger in the cooler season.
