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« on: April 07, 2011, 09:45:50 pm » |
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Maintaining a clean air environment in the home can help to lessen symptoms of atopic dermatitis in children and infants prone to the condition, according to the findings of a study conducted in South Korea.
“Environmental factors are important symptom trigger factors [for atopic dermatitis],” said Professor Sang-il Lee from the department of pediatrics, Environmental Health Center, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. “Home environmental consulting is [therefore] necessary for atopic dermatitis [that is] not controlled well.”
Lee, who is also the President of the Asia Pacific Association of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and the West Pacific Allergy Organization, cited the results of a trial he led which involved 47 infants (mean age 22 months) with severe atopic dermatitis (SCORAD* rating >20) refractory to conventional management approaches.
In the study, the infants were kept in a special hospital ward, a well-ventilated and easy-to-clean room incorporating low-pollutant finishing materials for 3 to 4 days. This low pollutant room (LPR) was designed to have low levels of dust, dust mites, micro-organisms, and indoor air pollutants such as volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde.
The researchers found that the children’s mean SCORAD rating was markedly improved after time in the LPR, from 45.6 on admission to 32.3 on discharge.
These results suggest that a “low-pollutant room is clinically effective for the management of atopic dermatitis,” said Lee.
Pollutant levels in the patient’s home or in their hospital ward should be checked, he added.
Source: Medical Tribune
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