Epidemiology and clinical pattern of atopic dermatitis in a North Indian pediatric population.

Various epidemiologic factors and clinical patterns of atopic dermatitis (AD) were evaluated in 672 children. Of these, 210 were infants (up to 1 year) and 462 were children. Mean age at onset and mean duration of the disease were 4.2 months and 3.3 months, respectively, in the "infantile AD" group. In the "childhood AD" group the corresponding figures were 4.1 years and 1.9 years. In both groups, patients from urban areas significantly outnumbered those from rural backgrounds. In the infantile AD group, the disease was aggravated in winter in 67.14%, in summer in 23.36% and in spring in 9.51% of patients. The corresponding figures in the childhood AD group were 58% in winter, 32.92% in summer, 7.43% in spring, and 1.74% in the rainy season. In the infantile AD group, personal and family history of atopy were seen in 0.91% and 36.19% of patients, respectively. No patient had a history of drug allergy. In the childhood AD group, 15.35% had a personal history of atopy, 36.44% had a family history of atopy, and 7.36% had both a personal and family history of atopy. A history of drug allergy was reported in 3.16% of children. In the infantile AD group, 79% had facial involvement, 42% had flexors affected, and 5.70% had both flexors and extensors affected. The types of eczema seen were acute in 52.72%, subacute in 23.35%, chronic in 23.35%, and follicular in 0.46%. In the childhood AD group, 74.50% had facial involvement, 35.53% had flexural involvement, 56.32% had extensor involvement, and 8.24% had both flexors and extensors involved. Acute eczema was seen in 28.79%, subacute in 23.38%, chronic in 47.40%, and follicular in 0.43% of the children.