[Prevalence of atopic dermatitis and serum IgE of Yusho patients born before 1967].

Dioxins may have an impact on the human immunological system, which would increase the risk to develop allergic diseases, such as atopic dermatitis. In order to determine the lifetime prevalence of atopic dermatitis in Yusho patients, a questionnaire-based survey was conducted in 2008. One thousand and seventy-one out of 1430 certified yusho patients who were born before Yusho accident answered the questionnaires, and the prevalence of atopic dermatitis in Yusho patients was 5.5%. We also measured serum IgE in 515 Yusho patients who attended annual medical check-ups from 2007 to 2009 and in 172 control subjects. Serum levels of IgE in Yusho patients were 250.7 +/- 663.4 IU/ml, whereas those in control subjects were 265.0 +/- 602.0 IU/ml. There was no significant difference in serum levels of IgE between Yusho patients and control subjects. In addition, no significant correlation was observed between serum levels of IgE and blood levels of dioxins in Yusho patients.