Are infantile seborrheic and atopic dermatitis clinical variants of the same disease?

BACKGROUND: The relationship between infantile seborrheic dermatitis (ISD) and infantile atopic dermatitis (IAD) is controversial. METHODS: Ninety-six children aged 2-12 months diagnosed with atopic dermatitis and a comparable control group of healthy children were evaluated. Demographic data, personal history of ISD and personal or family history of atopy was considered in both groups. RESULTS: A personal history of ISD was found in 49% of IAD cases and in 17% of controls (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our result and those of the literature do not demonstrate a relationship between ISD and IAD. However, a number of cases of AD have an ISD-like clinical picture. It is probable that ISD is a syndrome and not a disease.