Getting repeated colds and fevers may make children more likely to develop eczema, according to a study.
Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is an itchy skin condition thought to be caused by a combination of genetic factors, immune system dysfunction and a weakened skin barrier which allows moisture to escape and irritants to penetrate the skin.
The condition affects one in five children and one in ten adults in the UK. It often begins in early childhood, though symptoms for many improve with age.
Eczema makes the skin itchy, red, dry and cracked and can have a huge impact on quality of life.
Now researchers say they may know why some children are more prone to eczema. In a study published in Jama Dermatology, researchers analysed data from two birth cohorts in Denmark and the US.
Among the Danes, the team followed 663 children and recorded infections daily until the age of three, such as colds, ear infections, tonsillitis, pneumonia, gastroenteritis and fever.
They found respiratory infections were associated with a higher risk of eczema, with those who suffered more infections likelier to be diagnosed with the condition.
Those with the most infections were 60 per cent more likely to develop eczema than those with the fewest.
Getting frequent colds and fevers increases children’s chance of developing eczema, a study has revealed
The authors suggest early respiratory infections may affect the developing immune system in ways that increase the likelihood of eczema.
The findings were replicated in a US cohort of 707 children. The association remained after accounting for antibiotic use and variants in the filaggrin gene, one of the strongest known genetic risk factors for eczema.
The scientists wrote: ‘These findings suggest a long-term relationship between early respiratory infections and eczema that has previously been unclear due to inconsistent findings in previous studies.’
However, they said that the observational study could not determine whether infections directly contribute to eczema, noting many eczema diagnoses occurred while infections were being recorded, making it difficult to determine whether infections preceded the condition.