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Journal of Allergy
Volume 2011 (2011), Article ID 279425, 5 pages
doi:10.1155/2011/279425
Atopic Dermatitis and the Atopic March: What Is New?
1Division of Dermatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Geriatrics and Nephrology, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 1, 40138 Bologna, Italy
2Department of Pediatrics, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
Received 8 April 2011; Accepted 14 June 2011
Academic Editor: Fabienne Rancé
Copyright © 2011 Annalisa Patrizi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Objective. In this paper the authors review the management of atopic dermatitis (AD) and the association between AD and allergic respiratory diseases. Data Sources. PubMed databases, researching articles in the last 15 years. Results. Studies about atopic march are cross-sectional population studies at different ages. They show that the most important predisposing factor for atopy is a decrease of the filaggrin's expression. Conclusions. The most modern theories seem to show that the most important factor which starts the atopic march is represented by an impaired epidermal barrier. It causes an increase in skin permeability to allergens that could induce sensitization even in the airways. The major predisposing factor is a primary inherited epithelial barrier defect resulting from filaggrin gene mutation, but other factors may play a role in this complex mechanism. Further studies are needed to focus on AD treatment and preventive strategies.