The natural history of sensitizations to food and aeroallergens in atopic dermatitis: a 4-year follow-Up.

The natural history of atopic dermatitis (AD) is variable. Generally the dermatitis disappears during the first years of life, but it is often followed by the appearance of allergic respiratory diseases (ARDs). Our aim was to establish the risk factors for developing an ARD in children with AD. We followed up for 4 years 78 children (51 boys, 27 girls) with mild (26%), moderate (48%), and severe (26%) AD (clinical score proposed by Rajka and Langeland). In all the patients IgE serum levels were checked and skin prick tests (SPTs) were performed at the first examination. The SPTs were repeated in 68 children at the end of the study. The children with severe AD had significantly higher IgE serum levels than those with mild or moderate AD. SPTs at the first observation were positive in 47% of cases, mostly in patients with severe AD, with a prevalence of food allergens, particularly in younger patients. At the second observation, SPTs were positive in 65% of cases, including 100% of children with severe AD. Inhalants were the most common allergens. An ARD appeared in 38% of all patients: in 75% of those with severe AD and in 54% of those with a positive first SPT. Allergic screening should be carried out at an early age, especially in severe AD, since SPT positivity to food allergens, associated with severe clinical AD symptoms and a high IgE serum level, identifies those children ages 0-3 years at high risk of development of ARD.