Simon de Lusignan1,2, Helen Alexander3, Conor Broderick3, John Dennis4, Andrew McGovern4, Claire Feeney5, Carsten Flohr3. 1. Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. 2. Royal College of General Practitioners Research and Surveillance Centre, London, UK. 3. Unit for Population-Based Dermatology Research, St John's Institute of Dermatology, Guy's & Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London, London, UK. 4. Momentum Data, Pendragon House, St. Albans, UK. 5. Pfizer Ltd, Tadworth, UK.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Whilst eczema is a common inflammatory skin condition, we lack contemporary estimates of disease incidence and prevalence across the lifespan. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence and prevalence of eczema in children and adults in England and variation by sociodemographic factors (sex, socio-economic status, ethnicity, and geography). METHODS: We used the Royal College of General Practitioners Research and Surveillance Centre primary care research database of 3.85 million children and adults registered with participating general practitioner practices between 2009 and 2018 inclusive. Eczema incidence was defined as the first-ever diagnosis of eczema recorded in the primary care record, and eczema prevalence was defined as fulfilment of criteria for active eczema (two eczema records appearing in the primary care record within any one-year period). RESULTS: Eczema incidence was highest in infants younger than 1 year (15.0 per 100 person-years), lowest in adults aged 40-49 (0.35 p/100 person-years), and increased from middle age to a second smaller peak in people 80 years or older (0.79 p/100 person-years). Eczema prevalence was highest in children aged 2 (16.5%) and lowest in adults aged 30-39 (2.8%). Eczema incidence was higher in male infants (<2) and male adults older than 70; for all other ages, incidence was higher in females. Eczema was more common in Asian and black ethnic groups than in people of white ethnicity. Higher socio-economic status was associated with a greater incidence of eczema in infants younger than 2, but the reverse was seen for all other age groups. Both incidence and prevalence of eczema were greater in urban settings and in North-West England. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Eczema has a bimodal distribution across the lifespan. We observed differences in incidence and prevalence of eczema by ethnicity, geography, sex, and socio-economic status, which varied in magnitude throughout life.
BACKGROUND: Whilst eczema is a common inflammatory skin condition, we lack contemporary estimates of disease incidence and prevalence across the lifespan. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence and prevalence of eczema in children and adults in England and variation by sociodemographic factors (sex, socio-economic status, ethnicity, and geography). METHODS: We used the Royal College of General Practitioners Research and Surveillance Centre primary care research database of 3.85 million children and adults registered with participating general practitioner practices between 2009 and 2018 inclusive. Eczema incidence was defined as the first-ever diagnosis of eczema recorded in the primary care record, and eczema prevalence was defined as fulfilment of criteria for active eczema (two eczema records appearing in the primary care record within any one-year period). RESULTS: Eczema incidence was highest in infants younger than 1 year (15.0 per 100 person-years), lowest in adults aged 40-49 (0.35 p/100 person-years), and increased from middle age to a second smaller peak in people 80 years or older (0.79 p/100 person-years). Eczema prevalence was highest in children aged 2 (16.5%) and lowest in adults aged 30-39 (2.8%). Eczema incidence was higher in male infants (<2) and male adults older than 70; for all other ages, incidence was higher in females. Eczema was more common in Asian and black ethnic groups than in people of white ethnicity. Higher socio-economic status was associated with a greater incidence of eczema in infants younger than 2, but the reverse was seen for all other age groups. Both incidence and prevalence of eczema were greater in urban settings and in North-West England. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Eczema has a bimodal distribution across the lifespan. We observed differences in incidence and prevalence of eczema by ethnicity, geography, sex, and socio-economic status, which varied in magnitude throughout life.
Authors: S Barbarot; S Auziere; A Gadkari; G Girolomoni; L Puig; E L Simpson; D J Margolis; M de Bruin-Weller; L Eckert Journal: Allergy Date: 2018-02-13 Impact factor: 13.146
Authors: Simon de Lusignan; Jienchi Dorward; Ana Correa; Nicholas Jones; Oluwafunmi Akinyemi; Gayatri Amirthalingam; Nick Andrews; Rachel Byford; Gavin Dabrera; Alex Elliot; Joanna Ellis; Filipa Ferreira; Jamie Lopez Bernal; Cecilia Okusi; Mary Ramsay; Julian Sherlock; Gillian Smith; John Williams; Gary Howsam; Maria Zambon; Mark Joy; F D Richard Hobbs Journal: Lancet Infect Dis Date: 2020-05-15 Impact factor: 25.071
Authors: Lin Ching-Wei; Tsai Yi-Fen; Su Yu-Tsun; Yu Hong-Ren; Li Hsing-Jung; Hung Chih-Hsing; Liu Li-Fan; Tsai Hui-Ju; Wang Jiu-Yao Journal: World Allergy Organ J Date: 2022-06-24 Impact factor: 5.516
Authors: Annelie H Musters; Soudeh Mashayekhi; Jane Harvey; Emma Axon; Stephanie J Lax; Carsten Flohr; Aaron M Drucker; Louise Gerbens; John Ferguson; Sally Ibbotson; Robert S Dawe; Floor Garritsen; Marijke Brouwer; Jacqueline Limpens; Laura E Prescott; Robert J Boyle; Phyllis I Spuls Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2021-10-28
Authors: Leslie N Chan; Alexa Magyari; Morgan Ye; Noor A Al-Alusi; Sinead M Langan; David Margolis; Charles E McCulloch; Katrina Abuabara Journal: PLoS One Date: 2021-10-06 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Simon de Lusignan; Helen Alexander; Conor Broderick; John Dennis; Andrew McGovern; Claire Feeney; Carsten Flohr Journal: Clin Exp Allergy Date: 2020-11-26 Impact factor: 5.018