The natural history of atopic eczema

Abstract

A long-term follow-up study of 2 000 children with atopic ecxema for from two to twenty-one years: clearance rates, pubertal recurrence rates and factors with or without prognostic significance are reported. Late onset "reversed pattern" and possibly social factors are adverse features, whilst early onset, seborrhoeic pattern and male sex are favourable prognostic signs. These results are based on a follow-up rate better than 90% and are the first results in the literature of a prospecitivisurvey of this disease.