Department of Epidemiology and Health Promotion, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701, Republic of Korea.
Environ Res. 2011 May;111(4):573-8. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2011.02.003. Epub 2011 Feb 20.
Atopic dermatitis is one of the most common inflammatory skin diseases among children and adults. Although the risk factors for atopic dermatitis have not yet been fully identified, exposure to mercury may be an important environmental risk factor. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between mercury body burden and prevalence of atopic dermatitis in an adult population. We recruited participants (n=1990) aged 20 years or older, using stratified random sampling of Korean census blocks. Demographic characteristics and medical history of atopic dermatitis were collected from participants by questionnaire, and mercury levels were determined by an analysis of blood samples. We found that demographic factors such as sex, age, alcohol drinking status, income, and fish or shellfish consumption were important covariates determining blood mercury concentration. Sex and cigarette smoking status were important demographic variables affecting the prevalence of atopic dermatitis. After adjusting for demographic factors, blood mercury concentrations were positively associated with lifetime prevalence of atopic dermatitis [odds ratio (OR), highest vs. lowest tertile=1.50; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.02-2.21; p for trend=0.057]. This association became stronger for 1-year prevalence of atopic dermatitis (OR, highest vs. lowest tertile=1.82; 95% CI, 1.17-2.83; p for trend=0.026). Mercury body burden and atopic dermatitis prevalence vary across demographic characteristics, and increased blood level of mercury was related to an incidence of atopic dermatitis in this adult population.
特应性皮炎是儿童和成人中最常见的炎症性皮肤病之一。尽管特应性皮炎的危险因素尚未完全确定，但接触汞可能是一个重要的环境危险因素。本研究旨在评估成人人群中汞体内负荷与特应性皮炎患病率之间的关系。我们通过对韩国人口普查块的分层随机抽样，招募了年龄在 20 岁及以上的参与者（n=1990）。通过问卷调查收集参与者的人口统计学特征和特应性皮炎病史，通过血液样本分析确定汞水平。我们发现，性别、年龄、饮酒状况、收入和鱼类或贝类消费等人口因素是决定血液汞浓度的重要协变量。性别和吸烟状况是影响特应性皮炎患病率的重要人口学变量。在调整人口因素后，血液汞浓度与特应性皮炎的终身患病率呈正相关[最高与最低三分位比值比（OR）=1.50；95%置信区间（CI），1.02-2.21；趋势检验 p 值=0.057]。这种关联在特应性皮炎的 1 年患病率方面更为明显（OR，最高与最低三分位比值比=1.82；95%CI，1.17-2.83；趋势检验 p 值=0.026）。汞体内负荷和特应性皮炎患病率因人口统计学特征而异，血液中汞水平升高与该成年人群中特应性皮炎的发病率有关。
