Prognosis and atopic background of juvenile plantar dermatosis and gluteo-femoral eczema.

A 10-year follow-up of patients with juvenile plantar dermatosis and gluteo-femoral eczema disclosed a worse prognosis than previously assumed, with a course in some cases protracted into adult age. The presence of atopy was established with a clinical point score system. It was found that 52% of the patients with juvenile plantar dermatosis and 80% of those with gluteo-femoral eczema were atopic. In many cases the childhood dermatitis was followed in adult age by a hand eczema. This was the case in 14% of the gluteo-femoral eczema patients, and no less than 26% of the juvenile plantar dermatitis patients.