Epidemiology of atopic dermatitis

Although research into atopic dermatitis (AD) has been dominated by the stu dy of cells and chemical mechanisms over the last 40 years, the last 7 year s has witnessed a respectable growth within the field of AD epidemiology. S ignificant advances include valid disease definitions that can be used in e pidemiological studies, global prevalence studies, and studies which quanti fy the morbidity and economic cost of the disease. These have all helped to argue the case for more research into AD. Epidemiological studies demonstr ating that AD is commoner in wealthier families, linkage with small family size, increased prevalence in migrant groups, and the increasing prevalence of the disease all argue strongly towards an important role for the enviro nment in determining disease expression. Future research gaps include evalu ation of gene-environment interactions, better studies of the natural histo ry of AD, and better clinical trials that answer questions that are importa nt to physicians and their patients.