Table 2.
Epidemiology studies showing null or inconclusive associations between air pollution exposure and atopic dermatitis.
| Title | Authors (Year) | Country | Patient Profile | Study Size | Air Pollutants | Exposure Assessment | Outcome Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long-term Exposure to Background Air Pollution Related to Respiratory and Allergic Health in Schoolchildren | Pénard-Morand et al. (2005) [85] | France | Children | 6620 children from 108 schools | NO2, SO2, PM10, and O3 | 3-year-averaged concentrations of air pollutants using background monitoring stations; Low or High classification | Skin examination for flexural dermatitis and AD assessed with standardized health questionnaire completed by parents (ISAAC) |
| Traffic-Related Air Pollution and the Development of Asthma and Allergies during the First 8 Years of Life | Gehrig et al. (2009) [83] | Netherlands | Children | 3863 children in the PIAMA birth cohort study | NO2, PM2.5, and soot | Land-use regression models | Parental-reported questionnaires on doctor-diagnosed AD |
| Effect of Traffic Pollution on Respiratory and Allergic Disease in Adults: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analyses | Pujades-Rodríguez et al. (2009) [86] | United Kingdom | Adults (18–70) | 2599 adults | NO2 | Grid-based exposure modelling | Questionnaire asking about physician-diagnosed AD |
| Ambient Particulate Pollution and the World-Wide Prevalence of Asthma, Rhinoconjunctivitis and Eczema in Children: Phase One of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) | Anderson et al. (2009) [89] | Multi-center study around the world (ISAAC Phase 1) | Children aged 6–7 years and 13–14 years | 190,624 children aged 6–7 years and 322,529 children aged 13–14 years | PM10 | City level annual concentrations based on the World Bank model | ISAAC questionnaires |
| Which Population Level Environmental Factors Are Associated with Asthma, Rhinoconjunctivitis and Eczema? Review of the Ecological Analyses of ISAAC Phase One | Asher et al. (2010) [82] | Multi-center study around the world (ISAAC Phase 1) | Children aged 6–7 years and 13–14 years | 463,801 children aged 13–14 years across 56 countries, and in 257,800 children aged 6–7 years across 38 countries |
PM10 | Used the World Bank Global Model on Ambient Particulates for 1999 to estimate annual concentrations |
Surveys asking about eczema symptoms within the last 12 months |
| Early-life Exposure to Outdoor Air Pollution and Respiratory Health, Ear Infections, and Eczema in Infants From the INMA Study | Aguilera et al. (2013) [81] | Spain | Infants | 2199 infants in a population-based birth cohort | NO2 and benzene | Land use regression models | Parent-reported via questionnaires (did not ask if symptoms were specifically doctor-diagnosed) |
| Allergens, Air Pollutants, and Childhood Allergic Diseases | Wang, Tung, Tang, and Zhao (2016) [88] | Taiwan | Kindergarten children | 2661 children | PM10, PM2.5, NO2, and O3 | Data from monitoring stations | ISAAC questionnaires |
| The Effects of PM2.5 on Asthmatic and Allergic Diseases or Symptoms in Preschool Children of Six Chinese Cities, Based on China, Children, Homes and Health (CCHH) Project | Chen et al. (2018) [87] | China | Children (mean age of 4.6 years) | 30,759 children | PM2.5 and O3 | Using an exposure database that combines satellite data, transport models, and ground measurements | Core questionnaire of ISAAC |
| Atopic Dermatitis: Interaction Between Genetic Variants of GSTP1, TNF, TLR2, and TLR4 and Air Pollution in Early Life | Hüls et al. (2018) [84] | Sites in Canada and Europe | Children | 6 birth cohorts: 5685 participants (TAG study) | NO2 and traffic-related air pollution | Land-use regression models and dispersion modeling | Parental-reported questionnaires on doctor-diagnosed AD and AD symptoms |
| Eczema, Facial Erythema, and Seborrheic Dermatitis Symptoms among Young Adults in China in Relation to Ambient Air Pollution, Climate, and Home Environment | Wang et al. (2021) [90] | China | Kindergarten children | 40,279 respondents to surveys | PM10 and NO2 | City level annual concentration from air monitoring stations | Surveys in the China, Children, Homes, and Health study |
Abbreviations: AD, atopic dermatitis; PM2.5, particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter; PM10, particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter; O3, ozone; SO2, sulfur dioxide; NO2, nitrogen dioxide; ISAAC, International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood.