Dealing with atopic dermatitis, the chronic itch

If you scratch your skin more often than usual and experience redness, swelling, cracking, crusting and scaling of the skin, you are suffering from atopic dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis is an inflammatory, chronically relapsing, non-contagious and extremely pruritic (severe itching) skin disease.

Also known as eczema (according to the World Allergy Organization 2003 Nomenclature Task Force), atopic dermatitis is caused by several factors ranging from food-borne, inhaled to contact allergens.

However, the real underlying source of the disease remains unknown. Factors such as genetic make-up of the person and environmental sources can contribute to the development and progression of atopic dermatitis.

According to the World Allergy Organization, the 2004 data on worldwide prevalence of atopic dermatitis show two to five percent in children and 10 percent in the young adult population.

The National Institute of Health reported that 65 percent of patients develop symptoms of atopic dermatitis in the first year of life. Ninety percent of patients develop symptoms before they reach the age of five. 

The most common symptoms of atopic dermatitis, or eczema, are dry and itchy skin, and rashes on the face, inside the elbows, behind the knees and on the hands and feet.

Babies and children are more commonly affected, but anyone regardless of age and gender can also be affected by this condition.

People living in cities and dry climate areas are also prone to suffer from this long-term skin disease.

Irritants and allergens can make atopic dermatitis worse. Irritants are substances that cause irritation to the skin. Some examples of irritants are soap, harsh clothing detergents, wool against the skin, cosmetic and perfumes, prescribed over-the-counter treatment creams, and dusty environment. These should not be confused with allergens.

Allergens are allergy-causing substances from foods, plants, animals or the air. Common allergens are eggs, peanuts, milk, fish, dust mites, molds, pollens, and dog or cat dander.

Stress, anger and other stress-related forms can worsen atopic dermatitis, but they have not been proven to cause it. Skin infections, temperature and climate change can also add to skin flares.

One can prevent atopic dermatitis when he is protected from the allergens that harm the skin. A way of protecting one’s self is to be able to identify the allergens that cause skin flares. With advanced technology available today, one will be able to identify the substances to avoid so as to not to suffer from atopic dermatitis, or eczema.

ImmunoCAP is a breakthrough in allergy diagnosis that helps rule-in and rule-out allergy. It identifies allergens, through its accurate recognition of specific allergen sensitivities in patients with confirmed allergy.

ImmunoCAP, a World Health Organization-calibrated diagnostic test, offers accurate results and increased sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility, equaling the most advanced in vitro allergy testing found today.

ImmunoCAP also makes it possible to check allergy development in a patient over a period of time.

Distinguishing between allergy and non-allergic origins can change the management approach to atopic dermatitis, or eczema.

With ImmunoCAP, the combination of avoidance measures and allergy-based therapies can more effectively help alleviate acute symptoms and long-term impact of atopic dermatitis or eczema.

For inquiries on allergens and ImmunoCAP, call the Trianon hotline at 815-3239, or visit www.phadia.com. Call the same hotline for a list of hospitals and diagnostic centers that offer ImmunoCAP allergy testing.