THE ESSENTIAL
- Of 286,862 Americans who participated in a research program, 12,695 adults were diagnosed with eczema.
- Patients affected by eczema lived in areas with significantly higher PM2.5 concentrations than people without atopic dermatitis.
- For every 10 µm/m3 increase in average PM2.5 air pollution in their postcode, volunteers are twice as likely to suffer from this chronic inflammatory skin disease.
Itching, redness, scabs, dryness… These skin symptoms can indicate eczema. As a reminder, this chronic inflammatory skin disease evolves cyclically with periods of flare-ups, interspersed with periods of remission, without eczema, of variable duration. In most cases, eczema is linked to a family history of atopy, according to Health Insurance. Immunological and skin abnormalities may also be involved. Environmental factors are also responsible for the occurrence of atopic dermatitis. Among them, we find exposure to urban air pollution. “Industrial practices generate ambient air pollution, in particular fine particles with a diameter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5)”indicated scientists from the Yale School of Medicine (United States).
Eczema: twice the risk for every 10 µm/m3 increase in PM2.5
In a recent study, researchers wanted to determine whether exposure to fine particles increased the risk of eczema, because American work examining the question is rare. To carry out the study, the team used data from the US National Institutes of Health’s “All of Us” research program. The latter covers 286,862 people for whom demographic information, postal codes and electronic medical records were available. In parallel, the average annual concentrations of PM2.5 were analyzed.
Overall, 12,695 volunteers (4.4%) were diagnosed with eczema. After accounting for demographic factors, smoking, and atopic comorbidities, the authors noted that participants with eczema were more likely to live in ZIP codes with high levels of PM2.5 in the air. For every 10 µm/m3 increase in average PM2.5 air pollution in their postcode, people were more than twice as likely to have eczema, according to findings published in the journal Plos One.
Air pollution affects the immune system
The team concludes that increased air pollution, as measured by PM2.5, may influence the risk of developing eczema, possibly due to its effects on the immune system.
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