Adult atopic dermatitis and exposure to air pollutants—a nationwide population-based study

Abstract Background There is a trend toward an increased worldwide prevalence of allergic diseases. It is speculated that industrialization with resultant air pollution plays a role. However, there are sparse epidemiologic data on the relation between air pollution and atopic dermatitis (AD) in adults. Objective To investigate the relation between exposure to air pollutants and adult AD in a cross-sectional study based on data from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. Methods We identified 1,023 adult patients with AD and 4,092 age- and sex-matched controls without allergic diseases in 2011. Using data from 71 Environmental Protection Agency monitoring stations across Taiwan, levels of exposure to air pollutants were determined by the location of a subject's place of residence. Multivariate logistic regression analysis, adjusted for age, sex, levels of urbanization, and family income, was performed. Results We found an association between particulate matter Conclusion These results demonstrated that air pollution, represented by particulate matter