Ilic Irena, Stojkovic Andjelka, Velickovic Vesna, Zivanovic Macuzic Ivana, Ilic Milena
Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia.
Children (Basel). 2023 Jul 25;10(8):1275. doi: 10.3390/children10081275.
Atopic dermatitis is a major public health issue worldwide, but data on trends in prevalence in children in European countries are sparse. The aim of this study was to assess the trends in the prevalence of atopic dermatitis in children under 5 in the Central, Eastern, and Western European sub-regions from 1990 to 2019.
In this study, a descriptive, observational epidemiological method was applied. In addition, an ecological study design was used. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to assess trends.
A total of 118 million (54 million males and 64 million females) prevalent cases of atopic dermatitis in children under 5 were reported in European countries in 1990-2019. More than half of all cases of atopic dermatitis in children under 5 in Europe were recorded in the Western European sub-region. The highest prevalence rates of atopic dermatitis in children under 5 were observed in the Eastern European sub-region, with the highest rates in both males and females recorded in Estonia (equally at about 15,000 per 100,000), followed by the Russian Federation (equally at about 12,000 per 100,000). Moreover, the lowest prevalence rates were reported in the Eastern European sub-region (equally at about 5000 per 100,000 in Romania and Latvia). A sex disparity in the prevalence and trends of atopic dermatitis in children under 5 was observed. A significantly increased trend in atopic dermatitis prevalence in children under 5 was recorded in the Eastern European sub-region from 1990 to 2019 (by +0.3% per year in males and by +0.1% per year in females). Conversely, in the Western and Central European sub-regions, trends in the prevalence of atopic dermatitis in children under 5 slightly decreased (about -0.1% per year). The Pearson coefficient showed a significant negative correlation between the prevalence of atopic dermatitis in children under 5 and the Human Development Index in most countries in the Eastern European sub-region, while a significant positive correlation was reported between the prevalence and HDI in high-income countries in the Western European sub-region.
High prevalence rates and mostly stable trends during the last three decades make atopic dermatitis still a major health issue in children under 5 in European countries.
特应性皮炎是全球主要的公共卫生问题，但欧洲国家儿童患病率趋势的数据较为稀少。本研究的目的是评估1990年至2019年中欧、东欧和西欧次区域5岁以下儿童特应性皮炎的患病率趋势。
本研究采用描述性观察性流行病学方法。此外，使用了生态研究设计。采用Joinpoint回归分析评估趋势。
1990年至2019年，欧洲国家共报告了1.18亿例（男性5400万例，女性6400万例）5岁以下儿童特应性皮炎的现患病例。欧洲5岁以下儿童特应性皮炎病例中，超过一半记录在西欧次区域。东欧次区域5岁以下儿童特应性皮炎患病率最高，爱沙尼亚男性和女性患病率均最高（均约为每10万人15000例），其次是俄罗斯联邦（均约为每10万人12000例）。此外，东欧次区域报告的患病率最低（罗马尼亚和拉脱维亚均约为每10万人5000例）。观察到5岁以下儿童特应性皮炎患病率和趋势存在性别差异。1990年至2019年，东欧次区域5岁以下儿童特应性皮炎患病率呈显著上升趋势（男性每年上升0.3%，女性每年上升0.1%）。相反，在西欧和中欧次区域，5岁以下儿童特应性皮炎患病率呈轻微下降趋势（每年约下降0.1%）。皮尔逊系数显示，东欧次区域大多数国家5岁以下儿童特应性皮炎患病率与人类发展指数呈显著负相关，而西欧次区域高收入国家的患病率与人类发展指数呈显著正相关。
过去三十年中较高的患病率和大多稳定的趋势使特应性皮炎仍然是欧洲国家5岁以下儿童的主要健康问题。
