Eczema in Early Life: Genetics, the Skin Barrier, and Lessons Learned from Birth Cohort Studies

Eczema is a heterogeneous disease that is highly prevalent in populations worldwide. Birth cohort studies have been instrumental in advancing our knowledge of eczema and uncovering genetic and environmental factors that promote its development. The literature thus far implicates two distinct groups of genes involved in eczema. These include genes that contribute to the skin barrier and integrity of the cornified envelope and genes involved in innate and adaptive immunity. Early sensitization through the skin may be the first step in the atopic march, leading from eczema and food allergy in infancy to allergic rhinitis and asthma in childhood and adolescence. Birth cohort studies, which are designed to evaluate environmental and genetic risk factors simultaneously, are the key to unraveling the mechanistic basis of eczema development. Copyright © 2010 Mosby Inc. All rights reserved.