Spectrum of susceptibility to air quality and weather in individual children with atopic dermatitis.

BACKGROUND

Exposure to air pollution aggravates symptoms of atopic dermatitis (AD) in children in the population studies. Variability in individual patient's response from individual susceptibility is needed to be explored.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate spectrum of individual variability in the associations between AD symptoms and air quality.

METHODS

We enrolled 89 children aged 0-6 years with AD (22 890 person-days). Daily manifestation of symptoms was recorded for an average of 257 days (range 100-499). Both an individual analysis using logistic regression models and an overall analysis using a generalized estimating equation were performed.

RESULTS

The odds ratios of an individual ranged 0.24-8.11 for particulate matter <10 μm in diameter (PM10 ), 0.09-101.92 for nitrogen oxide (NO2 ), 0.03-44.00 for ozone (O3 ), 0.11-58.30 for sulfur dioxide (SO2 ), 0.00-15.83 for carbon monoxide (CO), 0.00-39 446.94 for temperature, and 0.03-5.18 for relative humidity, demonstrating a wide individual variability. In the overall analysis, PM10 , NO2 , SO2 , and CO had a significantly positive association, whereas temperature and relative humidity were negatively associated with AD symptoms. Air pollution was responsible for aggravation of symptoms from 24.7% (O3 ) to 39.3% (SO2 ) of AD children. Overall, 71.9% of the AD children responded to at least one or more air pollution and weather variable.

CONCLUSION

Responses of AD children to air pollution and weather variable were considerably variable among individuals. An individualized model would be useful to forecast and manage AD symptoms in patients.