annual report 2011 > research
link between childhood eczema and adult asthma
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Nine-year-old Lauren Ong, who has several allergies, undergoes an allergy test by nurse Christine Axelrad as Pamela Martin looks on Photo Richard Timbury/Casamento Photography
Children who have eczema, particularly when occurring
The participants were initially assessed about their allergies
with hay fever, are nine times more likely to develop
and childhood environment in 1967, at seven years of age,
allergic asthma in their 40s. The study published in The
and were followed up in 2004, at the age of 44. “In the study
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, in collaboration
we saw that childhood eczema, particularly when hay fever
with the University of Melbourne, Menzies Research
also occurs, is a very strong predictor of who will suffer from
Institute and Monash University, reported on evidence
allergic asthma in adult life. The implications of the study are
from a clinical study of around 1400 people and found that
that prevention and rigorous treatment of childhood eczema
up to 30 per cent of allergic asthma within the population
and hay fever may prevent the persistence and development
sample could be attributed to a history of childhood
of asthma,� lead author Pamela Martin, a University of
eczema and hay fever.
Melbourne PhD student based at Murdoch Childrens, said.