Pollution, Weather Linked to Atopic Dermatitis

TOPLINE:

In a meta-analysis of 42 studies, exposure to air pollutants and high temperatures was associated with higher risk for clinic visits and worsened symptoms in adults with atopic dermatitis.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted a meta-analysis and systematic review of 42 studies from 14 countries between 1985 and 2024.
• They included cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional studies that examined associations between environmental exposures and atopic dermatitis outcomes in adults.
• Researchers assessed exposure to ambient air pollutants: Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), particulate matter with a diameter of 10 µm or less (PM₁₀), PM with a diameter of 2.5 µm or less (PM_2.5), carbon dioxide (CO₂), ozone (O₃), temperature, precipitation, sunlight or solar radiation, humidity, secondhand smoke, seasonal variations, and pollution from traffic or industrial sources.

TAKEAWAY:

• Outpatient clinic visits for atopic dermatitis increased with every 10-µg/m³ increase in PM₁₀ (risk ratio [RR], 1.008; 95% CI, 1.003-1.012; high certainty evidence) and SO₂ (RR, 1.029; 95% CI, 1.020-1.039; high certainty evidence).
• High temperatures were also associated with moderate (OR, 2.39; 95%CI, 1.40-4.09) and severe atopic dermatitis (OR, 3.91; 95% CI, 2.20-6.96).
• Higher precipitation and humidity levels demonstrated probable associations with increased atopic dermatitis severity.
• Secondhand smoking exposure and traffic-related pollution showed probable associations with increased atopic dermatitis prevalence.

IN PRACTICE:

“Increased air pollution and other environmental factors were associated with increased prevalence and activity of atopic dermatitis,” the authors wrote. These findings, they added, “have direct public health implications, adding to the impetus to decrease pollution and mitigate climate change worldwide.”

SOURCE:

The study was led by Megan Park, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and was published online on June 25 in JAMA Dermatology.

LIMITATIONS:

Limitations included heterogeneity in air pollutant measurement and reporting across regions. Only moderate-to-severe disease was likely captured. Socioeconomic data was not available and inconsistent lag reporting restricted analysis of short-term and long-term effects. 

DISCLOSURES:

The authors did not disclose any funding source. One author reported receiving consulting fees and research grants from the British Journal of Dermatology, American Academy of Dermatology, Canadian Dermatology Today, National Eczema Association, Eczema Society of Canada, Canadian Dermatology Foundation, Canadian Institutes for Health Research, National Institutes of Health, and Physicians Services Incorporated Foundation.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.