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Atopic Eczema (AE) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that affects children and adults, and alters quality of life with a high morbidity rate and severe economic burden. The objective of the present work was to analyse specific atmospheric pollutants (O3, NO, PM10 and SO2) affecting the prevalence of diagnosed AE and its symptoms among 6-7-year-old schoolchildren.The participants included 21311 schoolchildren aged 6-7 years from 8 Spanish regions, whose parents completed the ISAAC Phase III questionnaire to ascertain AE diagnosis and symptoms. The mean levels (µg/m3) of O3, NO, PM10 (particles 10 micrometers or less in diameter) and SO2 were determined in each geographical area. Participating in this study.According to these mean levels, three levels of exposure to each pollutant were considered: level 1 (percentiles 0-25); level 2 (percentiles 26-74); level 3 (percentiles 75-100). Exposure to O3 was associated with increased prevalence of rashes (exposure level 2, Odds Ratio (OR): 1.22, 95% Confidence Interval (95%CI): 1.02-1.45; level 3 OR: 1.33, 95%CI: 1.10-1.61) and diagnosed AE (level 2, OR: 1.27, 95%CI: 1.17-1.39; level 3 OR: 1.27, 95%CI: 1.15-1.41). An association was found between the level of NO and a drop in the prevalence of diagnosed AE (exposure level 2, OR: 0.88, 95%CI: 0.81-0.95; level 3 OR: 0.85, 95%CI: 0.74-0.97). There was also an association between the highest exposure level to PM10 and a reduced prevalence of rashes (level 3 OR: 0.42, 95%CI: 0.22-0.81) and diagnosed AE (level 3 OR: 0.53, 95%CI: 0.38-0.75). Future studies into exposure to O3 and its relationship with allergic diseases may be conducted in order to prevent this association.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) prevalence has considerably increased worldwide in recent years. Studying indoor environments is particularly relevant, especially in industrialised countries where many people spend 80% of their time at home, particularly children. This study is aimed to identify the potential association between AD and the energy source (biomass, gas and electricity) used for cooking and domestic heating in a Spanish schoolchildren population., Methods: As part of the ISAAC (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood) phase III study, a cross-sectional population-based survey was conducted with 21,355 6-to-7-year-old children from 8 Spanish ISAAC centres. AD prevalence, environmental risk factors and the use of domestic heating/cooking devices were assessed using the validated ISAAC questionnaire. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (cOR, aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained. A logistic regression analysis was performed (Chi-square test, p-value < 0.05)., Results: It was found that the use of biomass systems gave the highest cORs, but only electric cookers showed a significant cOR of 1.14 (95% CI: 1.01-1.27). When the geographical area and the mother's educational level were included in the logistic model, the obtained aOR values differed moderately from the initial cORs. Electric heating was the only type which obtained a significant aOR (1.13; 95% CI: 1.00-1.27). Finally, the model with all selected confounding variables (sex, BMI, number of siblings, mother's educational level, smoking habits of parents, truck traffic and geographical area), showed aOR values which were very similar to those obtained in the previous adjusted logistic analysis. None of the results was statistically significant, but the use of electric heating showed an aOR close to significance (1.14; 95% CI: 0.99-1.31)., Conclusion: In our study population, no statistically significant associations were found between the type of indoor energy sources used and the presence of AD.

Background: The prevalence of atopic dermatitis (AD), a chronic skin disease, has increased substantially in recent decades, and different factors have been implicated in its etiology. Although dietary habits are being investigated, few conclusive findings have been reported. Nevertheless, increased consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and a diet poor in antioxidants have been related to AD., Objectives: The objectives of this study were to investigate the association between AD, the intake of different foods, and the effect of a Mediterranean diet among Spanish schoolchildren aged 6 to 7., Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study with 20 106 schoolchildren aged 6-7 years from 10 different areas of Spain. The participation rate was 76.50%. The prevalence of AD was assessed using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire and the criteria of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology. To calculate the Mediterranean diet score, we classified food into 2 groups: Mediterranean food, including fruit, seafood, vegetables, pulses, cereals, pasta, rice, and potatoes; and non-Mediterranean food, including meat, milk, and fast food., Results: Milk was negatively associated with AD. Butter and nuts also were negatively associated, although statistical significance was only reached when these foods were consumed 3 or more times a week., Conclusions: We found no association between the Mediterranean diet score and AD and a positive association between AD and obesity.

Few studies have focused on the long-term influence of the climate on the prevalence of asthma. The aim of this study is to establish the influence of geo-climatic conditions on the prevalence of asthma symptoms both in adolescents and schoolchildren, and to discover if this influence is associated with their time trends. Eight centres in Spain performed both ISAAC phases I (1994) and III (2002) in children 13-14 years old. Six of them also surveyed children 6-7 years old. For each age group and phase, about 3,000 children were surveyed per centre. This study examines the prevalence of current wheeze and severe current wheeze in two different geo-climatic zones, coast and plateau, considering their relative humidity and temperature range. In both age groups, the mean asthma prevalence on the coast, for phase I and III, was significantly higher than on the plateau. Living on the plateau was an independent protective factor for current wheeze and severe current wheeze for the two age groups. Within the coastal centres, the increase of the annual relative humidity was a statistical significant risk factor for current wheeze, the same trend existing for current severe wheeze. These effects were independent of the sex and of the phase of the study. The prevalence of asthma and severe asthma symptoms is more frequent on the coast of Spain as compared to the inner plateau. This finding was repeated both in 1994 and in 2002.

Objectives: To describe the prevalence of atopic eczema (AE) and to find the characteristics of the diet of children with AE., Design: Descriptive, transversal study., Setting: Primary schools., Main Measurements: The study used the standardized and validated questionnaire of the ISAAC phase III study, which finds the prevalence of AE in children and enables inter-centre comparison to be conducted. A questionnaire about food consumption was included. The prevalence ratio (PR) of AE and food consumption (95% confidence intervals) was calculated., Results: A total of 28 448 children aged 6-7 were included in the study. The prevalence of clinically diagnosed AE was 15.35% in boys and 15.24% in girls. The foods most often consumed were: dairy and cereals, followed by rice, pasta, and eggs. The least consumed were: butter, margarine, and fast food. The PR for children who consumed pasta was (PR=1.35), seafood (PR=1.28), cereals (PR=1.26), eggs (PR=1.13), and meat (PR=1.09)., Conclusions: The prevalence of AE in Spain was 15.3%, and was associated with food consumption. The consumption of dairy products, cereals, and olive oil was appropriate. The intake of fruit, vegetables, seafood, and legumes was below the recommended amounts. Future studies on the question are needed.

Background: Although several studies have investigated the influence of diet on asthma in schoolchildren, none of them has evaluated how obesity can modify this effect. A study was undertaken to evaluate the association of various foods and a Mediterranean diet with the prevalence of asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis, adjusting for obesity and exercise., Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in 20 106 schoolchildren aged 6-7 years from eight Spanish cities. Using the ISAAC phase III questionnaire, parents reported chest and nose symptoms, food intake, weight, height and other factors, including exercise. A Mediterranean diet score was developed. A distinction was made between current occasional asthma (COA) and current severe asthma (CSA)., Results: Independent of the amount of exercise, each Mediterranean score unit had a small but protective effect on CSA in girls (adjusted OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.82 to 0.98). Exercise was a protective factor for COA and rhinoconjunctivitis in girls and boys (the more exercise, the more protection). Obesity was a risk factor for CSA in girls (adjusted OR 2.35, 95% CI 1.51 to 3.64). Individually, a more frequent intake (1-2 times/week and>or=3 times/week vs never/occasionally) of seafood (adjusted ORs 0.63 (95% CI 0.44 to 0.91) and 0.53 (95% CI 0.35 to 0.80)) and cereals (adjusted OR 0.56 (95% CI 0.30 to 1.02) and 0.39 (95% CI 0.23 to 0.68)) were protective factors for CSA, while fast food was a risk factor (adjusted ORs 1.64 (95% CI 1.28 to 2.10) and 2.26 (95% CI 1.09 to 4.68)). Seafood (adjusted ORs 0.74 (95% CI 0.60 to 0.92) and 0.67 (95% CI 0.53 to 0.85)) and fruit (adjusted ORs 0.76 (95% CI 0.60 to 0.97) and 0.71 (95% CI 0.57 to 0.88)) were protective factors for rhinoconjunctivitis., Conclusions: A Mediterranean diet has a potentially protective effect in girls aged 6-7 years with CSA. Obesity is a risk factor for this type of asthma only in girls.