Synonym:

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Atopic eczema

	▪	Chronic, relapsing dermatitis associated with intense pruritus
	▪	Distribution varies in infantile, childhood and adulthood forms; periods of quiescence can occur between stages
	▪	Acute inflammation with extensor and facial involvement is common in infants, whereas both chronic inflammation and localization to flexures increase in prevalence with age
	▪	Often associated with xerosis as well as a personal or family history of atopy (e.g. asthma, allergic rhinitis)
	▪	Genetic basis (e.g. FLG mutations) with variable expression influenced by environmental factors
	▪	Immuno-aberration is evidenced by the common occurrence of serum IgE elevation and eosinophilia; the Th2 predominance in acute lesions evolves into a predominance of IFN-γ-producing T cells in chronic hyperplastic lesions
	▪	Langerhans cells and other dendritic cells that bind IgE result in enhanced T-cell reactivity to …