Abstract
There has been a dramatic increase in the prevalence of atopic dermatitis and asthma over the last few decades worldwide, including Korea. They are not only major public health problems with an enormous burden on health care resources but also the diseases adversely affect the quality of life of patients and their family. There are clear epidemiologic parallels in atopic dermatitis, wheezing, and asthma. Atopic dermatitis frequently is the first manifestation of atopic diathesis, which occurs in genetically predisposed individuals. Up to 80% of children with atopic dermatitis will eventually develop asthma and allergic rhinitis later in childhood. Also frequent wheezing in childhood will persist and can progress to asthma later. Therefore principal measures for primary prevention and early intervention for an infant with high risk should start as early as possible during early infancy.
References
1. Eichenfield LF, Janifin JM, Beck LA, Lemanske RF Jr, Sampson HA, Weiss ST, Leung DY. Atorpic Dermatitis and Asthma: Parallels in the Evolution of Treatment. Pediatrics. 2003. 111:608–616.
2. Wahn U, von Mutius E. Childhood risk factors for atopy and the importance of early intervention. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2001. 107:567–574.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
3. Mannino DM, Homa DM. Surveillance for asthma-United States, 1960-1995. MMWR CDC Surveill Summ. 1998. 47:1–27.
4. The Korean Academy of Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Diseases. Pediatric Allergy, Respiratology and Immunology. 2005. Seoul: Kunja;3–4.
5. Sugiura H, Umemoto N, Deguchi H, Murata Y, Tanaka K, Sawai T, Omoto M, Uchiyama M, Kiriyama T, Uehara M. Prevalence of childhood and adolescent atopic dermatitis in a Japanese population: comparison with the disease frequency examined 20 years ago. Acta Derm Venerol. 1998. 78:293–294.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
6. Kay J, Gawkrodger DJ, Mortimer MJ, Jaron AG. The prevalence of childhood atopic eczema in a general population. J Am Acda Dermatol. 1994. 30:35–39.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
7. Broide DH. Molecular and cellular mechanism of allergic diseases. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2001. 108:S. 65–71.
8. Leung DY, Soter NA. Cellular and immunologic mechanism in atopic dermatitis. J Am Acda Dermatol. 2001. 44:S1–S12.
9. Nova N, Bieber T, Leung DYM. Immune mechanisms leading to Atopic Dermatitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2003. 112:128–139.
10. Friedman NJ, Zeiger RS. The role of breast-feeding in the development of allergies and asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005. 115:1238–1248.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
11. Purvis DJ, Thompson JMD, Clark PM, Robinson E, Black PN, Wild CJ. Risk factors for atopic dermatitis in New Zealand children at 3.5 years of age. Br J Dermatol. 2005. 152:742–749.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
12. Johnson CC, Ownby DR, Alford SH, Havstad SL, Williams LK, Zoratt EM. Antibiotic exposure in early infancy and risk for childhood atopy. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005. 115:1218–1224.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
13. McKeever TM, Lewis SA, Smith C. Siblings, multiple births, and the incidence of allergic disease: a birth cohort study using the west midlands general practice research database. Thorax. 2001. 56:758–762.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
14. Bergmann RL, Edenharter G, Bergmann KE, Forster J, Bauer CP, Wahn V, Zepp F, Wahn U. Atopic dermatitis in early infancy prdicts allergic airway disease at 5 years. Clin Exp Allergy. 1998. 28:965–970.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
15. Leung DYM. Atopic dermatitis: new insights and opportunisties for therapeutic intervention. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2000. 105:860–876.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
16. Wuthrich B. Clinical aspects, epidemiology, and prognosis of atopic dermatitis. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 1999. 83:464–470.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
18. Taussig LM, Wright AL, Holberg CJ, Halonen M, Morgan WJ, Martinez FD. Tucson Children's Respiratory Study: 1980 to present. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2003. 111:661–661.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
19. Yang HJ, Hong YH, Jeon YH, Pyun BK. Risk factors for persistent wheezing in Korean infants with recurrent wheezing. Pediatr Allergy Respir Dis. 2007. 17:17–26. (Korea).
20. You JH, Yoo Y, Kim DK, Kang H, Koh YY. Bronchial responsiveness and serum eosinophil cationic protein levels in preschool children with recurrent wheezing. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2005. 94:686–692.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
21. Rhodes HL, Thomas P, Sporik R, Holgate ST, Cogswell JJ. A birth cohort study of subjects at risk of atopy: twenty-two-year follow-up of wheeze and atopic status. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2002. 165:176–180.
22. Rhodes HL, Sporik R, Thomas P, Holgate ST, Cogswell JJ. Early life risk factors for adult asthma: a birth cohort study of subjects at risk. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2001. 108:720–725.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
23. Stettler N, Tershakovec AM, Zemel BS, Leonard MB, Boston RC, Katz SH, Stallings VA. Early risk factors for increased adiposity: a cohort study of African American subjects followed from birth to young adulthood. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000. 72:378–383.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
24. Lewis S, Richards D, Bynner J, Butler N, Britton J. Prospective study of risk factors for early and persistent wheezing in childhood. Eur Respir J. 1995. 8:349–356.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
25. Kotaniemi-Syrjanen A, Reijonen TM, Romppanen J, Korhonen K, Savolainen K, Korppi M. Allergen-specific immunoglobulin E antibodies in wheezing infants: the risk for asthma in later childhood. Pediatrics. 2003. 111:255–261.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
26. Zeiger RS, Heller S. The development and prediction of atopy in high-risk children: follow-up at age seven years in a prospective randomized study of combined maternal and infant food allergen avoidance. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1995. 95:1179–1190.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
27. Price GW, Hogan AD, Farris AH, Burks AW, Platts-Mills TA, Heymann PW. Sensitization (IgE antibody) to food allergens in wheezing infants and children. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1995. 96:266–270.
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)
![crossref](/image/icon/bnr_ref_cross.gif)