Prevalence rate and factors associated with atopic dermatitis among Korean middle school students

Epidemiology and Characterization of Atopic Dermatitis in East Asian Populations: A Systematic Review

Introduction

As atopic dermatitis (AD) grows increasingly prevalent in Asian populations worldwide, understanding how environmental, genetic, and cultural factors uniquely influence AD in Asians is essential for informing disease management. Our objectives were to characterize the epidemiology of AD in East Asian populations with sensitivity to the changing demographics of AD in these populations and the effects of urbanization and immigration.

Methods

A systematic review was performed on epidemiologic studies of AD in East Asian populations over the past 10 years.

Results

There is a rising prevalence of both pediatric and adult AD in Asian populations worldwide, particularly in Asians living in urban areas. Studies suggest that the children of Asian immigrants may be at higher risk for developing AD, potentially resulting from epigenetic phenomena unique to immigrant populations. A number of genetic polymorphisms implicated in AD are shared by Asian populations around the world and appear to be rare among other ethnic populations.

Conclusions

As the prevalence of AD continues to increase in Asian populations, it is important to understand its distinct genetic and pathophysiologic profile in these populations, as well as characterize the cultural beliefs and practices surrounding its treatment. Future research should aim to capitalize on our growing understanding of pathophysiologic differences to inform the most promising treatments for AD in Asians. Additionally, the impact of immigration on AD suggests that further investigation of these trends may lead to a greater understanding of the epigenetics of AD.

Time trends of the prevalence of allergic diseases in Korea: A systematic literature review

The prevalence of allergic diseases has increased dramatically in recent decades, and are now considered major chronic diseases at the global level. The increasing burden of allergic diseases has led to numerous worldwide and local researchers to investigate the time trends in its prevalence and identify its driving factors. Environmental changes such as urbanization and industrialization have been suggested to explain the increasing prevalence, but recent reports from Western countries suggest that this prevalence has reached a plateau or even possibly, started to decrease. However, such environmental changes are still occurring in many Asia-Pacific countries, including Korea, and it is speculated that the peak in allergy epidemics has yet to come. The present systematic literature review aimed to explore the time trends in the prevalence of allergic diseases in Korea and to identify the unmet needs for facilitating further studies.

The mediating effect of sleep satisfaction on the relationship between stress and perceived health of adolescents suffering atopic disease: Secondary analysis of data from the 2013 9th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey

BACKGROUND

Difficulty in sleep is one disturbing symptom in adolescents with atopic diseases including asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis. Assuming psychological stress can affect adolescents' health status, impaired sleep quality can be one mediator that negatively impacts the health status of adolescents with atopic disease.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to identify the mediating effect of sleep satisfaction on the relationship between stress and perceived health status in Korean adolescents with atopic disease and to examine the differences among three types of atopic disease.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional descriptive study was completed based on secondary analysis of raw data from the 2013 9th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey.

SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS

The 21,154 adolescents (29.2%) ever diagnosed and treated for at least one atopic disease regardless of the symptom presence in a recent year were extracted out of 72,435 survey participants. Then, the 13,216 individuals with exclusively single atopic diseases were included in analyzing the mediation model.

METHODS

Variables including demographics, stress, perceived health status, and sleep satisfaction were included. Pearson correlation, one-way ANOVA, path analysis to define direct/indirect effects with bootstrapping analysis, and multi-group variance analysis were conducted.

RESULTS

High levels of stress in adolescents with atopic diseases had a significant and direct effect on their negative health status perception for all atopic disease groups. A significant negative mediating effect of sleep satisfaction was identified on the relationship between stress and perceived health status, irrespective of the type of atopic disease. Total effect and remaining direct effect on the path from stress and perceived health status via sleep satisfaction was high in adolescents with atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis compared to those with asthma.

CONCLUSIONS

To improve sleep satisfaction for adolescents with atopic diseases, interventions are needed to enhance the adolescents' perceived health status through stress reduction and sleep quality improvement.

[Effects of Blending Oil of Lavender and Thyme on Oxidative Stress, Immunity, and Skin Condition in Atopic Dermatitis Induced Mice]

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of essential oil on oxidative stress, immunity, and skin condition in atopic dermatitis (AD) induced mice.

METHODS

This study was a 3×3 factorial design. Factors were oil type (Lavender, Thyme, and 2:1 mixture of lavender and thyme oil [blending oil]) and treatment period (0 day, 7 days, and 21 days). The samples were 45 mice with AD and randomly assigned to nine groups of five mice per group. The dependent variables such as superoxide radical, IgE, degranulated mast cells, and epidermal thickness were measured. Data were collected from February to April in 2014. Descriptive statistics, One-way ANOVA, Two-way ANOVA, and Tukey's HSD test were performed using the SPSS WIN 20.0 program.

RESULTS

Dependent variables were not statistically significantly different by the three oil types (p>.05). Essential oils such as lavender, thyme, and blending oil were all effective in reducing AD symptoms and especially 2:1 blending oil were most effective. There were statistically significant differences by the three treatment periods in all dependent variables (p<.001). There were statistically significant interactions between oil types and treatment periods in all dependent variables (p<.01). For decreasing superoxide radical, degranulated mast cells, and epidermal thickness, 2:1 mixed oil should be applied for at least 21 days. Otherwise to reduce IgE, 2:1 mixed oil should be used for at least 7 days.

CONCLUSION

These findings provide bases for developing effective interventions for AD patients to manage their AD symptoms.