Prevalence of and association between atopic dermatitis and food sensitivity, food allergy and challenge-proven food allergy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) and food allergy (FA) share similar type 2 inflammation and commonly co-occur, but the precise proportion of AD patients with FA and vice versa, as well as the effect of AD disease severity on the strength of this association remains uncertain. The aim of this comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the prevalence and bidirectional associations of AD with food sensitivity (FS), FA and challenge-proven food allergy (CPFA). We searched PubMed and EMBASE and three independent reviewers performed title/abstract and full-text review and data extraction. Overall, 557 articles (n = 225,568 individuals with AD, n = 1,128,322 reference individuals; n = 1,357,793 individuals with FS, FA or CPFA, n = 1,244,596 reference individuals) were included in quantitative analyses. The overall pooled prevalence of FS, FA and CPFA in individuals with AD were 48.4% (95% confidence interval: 43.7-53.2), 32.7% (28.8-36.6) and 40.7% (34.1-47.5) respectively. AD prevalence among individuals with FS, FA and CPFA were 51.2% (46.3-56.2), 45.3% (41.4-49.3) and 54.9% (47.0-62.8) respectively. Children with AD had higher pooled FS (49.8% (44.4-55.1)) and FA (31.4% (26.9-36.1)) prevalences than adults with AD (28.6% (13.4-46.8) and 24.1% (12.1-38.7) respectively). Prevalences of FS and FA numerically increased with AD severity. FS, FA and CPFA are common comorbidities of AD and are closely related. Physicians should be attentive to this relationship to optimize management and treatment strategies in patients.

Risk of systemic infections requiring hospitalization in children with atopic dermatitis: a Danish retrospective nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Infections can trigger worsening of atopic dermatitis (AD). OBJECTIVES: To examine whether hospital-managed paediatric AD is associated with increased risk of extracutaneous infections requiring hospitalization in childhood. METHODS: A nationwide-based cohort study using Danish registries was done. Children aged < 18 years with a hospital diagnosis of AD and children without a hospital diagnosis of AD were sex- and age-matched at date of AD diagnosis. Study outcomes were extracutaneous infections that led to hospitalization. AD severity was defined according to prescriptions for treatments. RESULTS: Of 19 415 children with AD [median follow-up 7·4 years; interquartile range (IQR) 3·3-13.3] and 194 150 without AD (median follow-up 7·7 years; IQR 3·6-13·5), 56% were boys and 50% were aged < 2 years. Children with AD had an increased rate of lower respiratory [LRTI; adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1·79, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·65-1·94)], upper respiratory (URTI; aHR 1·59, 95% CI 1·34-1·88), urinary tract (UTI; aHR 1·34, 95% CI 1·16-1·54), musculoskeletal (MSSI; aHR 1·33, 95% CI 1·06-1·66) and gastrointestinal infections (GITIs; aHR 1·24, 95% CI 1·14-1·35) vs. children without AD. Associations did not clearly vary with AD severity. Absolute risk difference per 10 000 person-years was 26·4 (95% CI 23·0-29·8) for LRTIs, 3·1 (95% CI 1·6-4·7) for URTIs, 3·6 (95% CI 1·8-5·4) for UTIs, 0·9 (95% CI 0·2-2·0) for MSSIs and 8·7 (95% CI 5·7-11·7) for GITIs. CONCLUSIONS: Children with hospital-managed AD have an increased risk of systemic infections that lead to hospitalization; absolute risk is generally low.

Association between hospital-diagnosed atopic dermatitis and psychiatric disorders and medication use in childhood.

BACKGROUND: While adult atopic dermatitis (AD) is associated with anxiety and depression, and paediatric AD is linked to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the relationship between AD in childhood and other psychiatric disorders is largely unknown. OBJECTIVES: To determine the relationship between AD and diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders in children. METHODS: All Danish children born between 1 January 1995 and 31 December 2012 with a hospital diagnosis of AD (n = 14 283) were matched 1 : 10 with children without a hospital diagnosis of AD. Endpoints were psychotropic medication use, hospital diagnoses of depression, anxiety, ADHD, or self-harming behaviour, accidental/suicidal death, and consultation with a psychiatrist or psychologist. RESULTS: Significant associations were observed between hospital-diagnosed AD and antidepressant [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1·19, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·04-1·36], anxiolytic (aHR 1·72, 95% CI 1·57-1·90), and centrally acting sympathomimetic (aHR 1·29, 95% CI 1·18-1·42) medication use. Consultation with a psychiatrist (aHR 1·33, 95% CI 1·16-1·52) or psychologist (aHR 1·25, 95% CI 1·11-1·41) was also associated with AD. No association with a hospital diagnosis of depression (aHR 0·58, 95% CI 0·21-1·56), anxiety (aHR 1·47, 95% CI 0·98-2·22) or self-harming behaviour (aHR 0·88, 95% CI 0·27-2·88) was observed, but a diagnosis of ADHD (aHR 1·91, 95% CI 1·56-2·32) was significantly associated with AD. The absolute risks were generally low. CONCLUSIONS: The increased risk of treatment, but not of a hospital diagnosis of psychiatric disorders in children with hospital-diagnosed AD, suggests that psychiatric issues in children with AD could be of a transient, reversible or mild-moderate nature.

Women's perceptions of fertility assessment and counselling 6 years after attending a Fertility Assessment and Counselling clinic in Denmark.

STUDY QUESTION: What are women's perceptions and experience of fertility assessment and counselling 6 years after attending a Fertility Assessment and Counselling (FAC) clinic in Denmark? SUMMARY ANSWER: Women viewed the personalized fertility knowledge and advice they received as important aids to decision-making and they felt the benefits outweighed the risks of receiving personalized fertility information. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Many young people wish to become parents in the future. However, research demonstrates there is a gap in women's and men's knowledge of fertility and suggests they may be making fertility decisions based on inaccurate information. Experts have called for the development of interventions to increase fertility awareness so that men and women can make informed fertility decisions and achieve their family-building goals. Since 2011, the FAC clinic in Copenhagen, Denmark has provided personalized fertility assessment and guidance based on clinical examination and evaluation of individual risk factors. Available qualitative research showed that attending the FAC clinic increased fertility awareness and knowledge and was experienced as a catalyst for change (e.g. starting to conceive, pursuing fertility treatment, ending a relationship) in women 1-year post-consultation. STUDY DESIGN SIZE DURATION: The study was a 6-year follow-up qualitative study of 24 women who attended the FAC clinic between January and June 2012. All women were interviewed during a 2-month period from February to March 2018 at Rigshospitalet, their home or office, in Copenhagen, Denmark. Interviews were held in English and ranged between 60 and 94 min (mean 73 min). PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS SETTING METHODS: Invitations to participate in an interview-based follow-up study were sent to 141 women who attended the FAC clinic in 2012. In total, 95 women read the invitation, 35 confirmed interest in participating and 16 declined to participate. Twenty-five interviews were booked and 24 interviews held. Interviews followed a semi-structured format regarding reasons for attending the FAC clinic, if/how their needs were met, and perceptions of fertility assessment and counselling. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: At the follow-up interview, women were on average 39.5 years old. Ten were currently single or dating and 14 were married/cohabiting. All were childless when they attended the FAC clinic. At the follow-up interview, 21 women were parents (14 women with one child; 6 with two children; 1 with three children) and the remaining three women intended to have children in the future. The most common reason for originally attending the FAC clinic was to determine how long they could delay childbearing. Most of the women now believed their needs for attending had been met. Those who were dissatisfied cited a desire for more exact ('concrete') information as to their remaining years of fertility, although acknowledged that this was likely not realistic. Women stated that they had felt reassured as to their fertility status after attending the FAC clinic whilst receiving the message that they could not delay childbearing 'too long'. Women viewed personalized fertility knowledge as an important aid to decision-making but cautioned about developing a false sense of security about their fertility and chance of conceiving in the future based on the results. Although women were generally satisfied with their experience, they wished for more time to discuss options and to receive additional guidance after their initial meeting at the FAC clinic. LIMITATIONS REASONS FOR CAUTION: Participants were from a group of Danish women attending the FAC clinic and interviews were conducted in English, which means they are not representative of all reproductive-aged women. Nevertheless, the study group included a broad spectrum of women who achieved parenthood through different means (heterosexual/lesbian relationship, single parent with donor, co-parent) with various family sizes, and women who were currently childless. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Our study provides support for an individualized approach to fertility education, assessment and counselling provided at a time when the information is relevant to the individual and their current fertility decision-making. The findings suggest that although satisfied with their visit to the FAC clinic, the women wished for more information and guidance after this visit, suggesting that the current intervention may need to be expanded or new interventions developed to meet these additional needs. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS: E.K. was funded by an ESHRE Travel/Training grant by ReproUnion, co-financed by the European Union, Interreg V OKS. J.B. reports that the risk evaluation form used at the Fertility Assessment Clinic was inspired by the Fertility Status Awareness Tool FertiSTAT that was developed at Cardiff University for self-assessment of reproductive risk. J.B. also reports personal fees from Merck KGaA, Merck AB, Theramex, Ferring Pharmaceuticals A/S and a research grant from Merck Serono Ltd outside the submitted work. A.N.A. has received personal fees from both Merck Pharmaceuticals and Ferring and grants from Roche Diagnostics outside the submitted work. The other authors report no conflicts of interest.