Research

NIAID Study Offers New Explanation of What Makes an Allergen an Allergen

Using bioinformatics to mine allergen databases and epidemiological studies, investigators at NIAID have uncovered new information on what makes people allergic to allergens. The NIAID team found that the differences between the structure of foreign proteins and the structure of self-proteins made the foreign ones allergenic. The results of their work appear online in the July 18th issue of PLoS ONE.

Background

Allergic diseases, such as asthma, food allergy, and seasonal allergies, affect millions of people in the United States and seem to be on the rise.

A Comparison of Physicochemical Properties of a Selection of Modern Moisturizers: Hydrophilic Index and pH

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To quantify and compare the physiochemical properties of various topical emollients and to correlate these findings with the products' potential to maintain the stratum corneum (SC) acid milieu, while possessing the appropriate water content for skin rehydration, user adherence, and comfort.

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

The pH and hydrophilic fraction of 31 skin moisturizers sold in the US were measured. Hydrophilic Index (HI) was calculated using the "HI equation." The two parameters were charted using a scatter plot with quadrant divisions.

Prenatal Exposure to Common Household Chemical Linked to Eczema

Butyl benzyl phthalate is used in vinyl flooring, artificial leather
 
By Mary Elizabeth Dallas

Wednesday, June 27, 2012


WEDNESDAY, June 27 (HealthDay News) -- Babies born to women who were exposed to the common household chemical butyl benzyl phthalate (BBzP) during pregnancy are at greater risk for childhood eczema, new research suggests.

BBzP is used in vinyl flooring, artificial leather and other materials, and can be released into the air, the researchers said.

"While hereditary factors, allergens and exposure to tobacco smoke are known to contribute to the condition, our study is the

Prevalence of Atopic Disorders and Immunodeficiency in Patients with Ectodermal Dysplasia Syndromes

Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Ectodermal dysplasia (ED) syndromes are a diverse group of disorders that affect multiple ectodermally derived tissues. Small studies and case reports suggest an increase in atopy and primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) among patients with ED syndromes.


OBJECTIVE:
To determine the prevalence of clinical symptoms suggestive of atopy or immunodeficiency among a large cohort of children with ED syndromes.


METHODS:
A 9-page questionnaire was mailed to families who were members of the National Foundation for Ectodermal Dysplasias.

Genomes Show How Staph Bacteria Gain Resistance to Last-Line Drug

National Institutes of Health-funded scientists have determined the genome sequences of a dozen strains of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria known to be resistant to vancomycin, an antibiotic of last resort. The researchers demonstrated -that resistance arose independently in each strain, and identified shared features among the strains that may have helped them acquire vancomycin resistance and evade human immune defenses.

Alternate Routes: Acupuncture, Acupressure and Eczema

Alternate Routes: Acupuncture, Acupressure and Eczema
Kachiu C. Lee, MD and Peter A. Lio, MD


Judging from the increasing media coverage, acupuncture (and its closely-related but needleless cousin, acupressure) has grown in popularity over the past decade (Ernst, 2006). Actress Gwyneth Paltrow (Lantin, 2004) proudly blogs about it on her popular personal website, while Kate Moss openly admits to using acupuncture to assist with smoking cessation (BBC, 2006). But is acupuncture actually effective? Or is it a passing fad?  What is the evidence behind acupuncture as a treatment for eczema?
    
Basis

NIAID Study Links Rapidy Emerging Staph Gene to Asian MRSA Epidemic

A research study conducted by NIAID scientists and their colleagues in China describes a rapidly emerging Staphylococcus aureus gene, which has helped establish MRSA epidemics in Asia.

 

For more information, visit the NIAID site >>>

Food Allergy Guidelines as They Relate to Eczema

 

by Kristopher Denby, MD
 
Food allergy can be a confusing topic and not all bad reactions to food are actually due to an allergy.  If you think you may have a food allergy, discuss it with your doctor.
 
Food allergy is a common problem affecting as many as 1 in 25 young children but is much less common in adults.  Food allergy is more common in people with eczema.  Among children under 5 who have eczema, as many as 30% may also have food allergy.

Abnormal Skin Barrier in the Pathogenesis of Atopic Dermatitis

Report by Peter M. Elias, M.D. Dermatology Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco. Both a defective skin barrier, as well as a tendency to develop secondary infections, are well-recognized features of atopic dermatitis (AD).

Eczema prevalence in the United States: Data from the 2003 National Survey of Children’s Health

Report from the Journal of Investigative Dermatology: Using the 2003 National Survey of Children’s Health sponsored by the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau, we calculated prevalence estimates of eczema nationally and for each state among a nationally representative sample of 102,353 children 17 years of age and under.

NEA-Funded Research Report Offers Independent Guidance regarding the Use of Two Popular Eczema Drugs

A report released in October 2005 by the National Eczema Association (NEA) offers guidance to both patients and physicians regarding the use of two common skin care medications that have been the subject of public health advisories by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In the NEA report, physicians from Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) in Boston, Massachusetts, provide an independent review of the clinical benefits and potential cancer risks associated with the drugs Elidel (pimecrolimus) and Protopic (tacrolimus).

Eczema Patients Lack Natural Antibiotic in Skin

Researchers at National Jewish Medical and Research Center report in the October 10, 2005, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine that patients with atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema, are susceptible to bacterial infections of their skin because they fail to produce effective amounts of two antimicrobial peptides. The findings demonstrate for the first time the clinical significance of these peptides in humans, and suggest that a medication containing or inducing the peptides may one day be used to fight the infections that plague millions of atopic dermatitis patients. The accompanying editorial in the journal called it a seminal study.

Itch: Getting National Attention

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), a division of the National Institutes of Health recently held a roundtable meeting on the topic of Itch Research. The National Eczema Association’s (NEA) advocacy helped make this first roundtable dedicated to itch possible. Why is this important? Itch is being given attention and looked at more closely on a national level.

NEA-Funded Research on Itch Shows Atopic Dermatitis Patients React Differently to Heat and Scratching

In the January issue of the British Journal of Dermatology, Dr. Gil Yosipovitch and colleagues from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, reported on their study to examine the effects of repetitive heat and scratching on itch intensity in 16 patients with atopic dermatitis and 10 healthy subjects.

Research Confirms Genetic Skin Barrier Defect Linked to Eczema

Excerpt from the American Academy of Dermatology Skin Briefs E-News SAN ANTONIO (Feb. 3, 2008) New studies examining the genetic basis of the condition support the longstanding theory that atopic dermatitis might be caused by a defect in the skin’s protective outer layer known as the epidermal barrier allowing irritants, microbes and allergens to penetrate the skin and cause adverse reactions.

Clinical Research Trials - Benefits and Risks

Ideally, participating in a clinical trial means helping others by contributing to medical research and helping advance the development of better treatments. By educating themselves about the rules and guidelines for the trial, and the risks involved in being on placebo or active drug, participants can help lead the way for better treatment for the entire eczema community.

Filaggrin Gene: Link Between Eczema and Asthma

W.H. Irwin McLean, Professor of Human Genetics and head of the Division of Molecular Medicine, University of Dundee, Scotland, shares the story of how he and his colleagues found mutations in the filaggrin gene.

Breastfeeding May Not Prevent Eczema

To determine whether breastfeeding protects from eczema — and if so, to what extent — researchers from King’s College London, England’s University of Nottingham and the University of Ulm, Germany, gathered data on 51,119 children ages 8 to 12 from 21 nations, focusing on those who had been exclusively breastfed for at least four months.

Eczema and Long-term Allergies Linked

Researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and other institutions enrolled more than 500 children, between the ages of 3 months and 15 months, who had either a convincing history of egg or milk allergy with a positive prick skin test to the trigger food and/or moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis and a positive prick skin test to milk or egg.

Eczema and Chicken Pox Vaccine

As part of the Atopic Dermatitis Vaccinia Network, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) completed a study looking at the immune response to the Varicella (chicken pox) vaccine in children with atopic dermatitis (eczema) compared to non-atopic controls.

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