Atopic dermatitis and atopy in non-clinical populations

A group of 523 individuals from the general population in the Denver, Colorado area responded to an advertisement for subjects with 'problem skin' conditions, such as eczema, dry skin, rashes, etc. The subjects completed screening history information and were evaluated for various characteristics during an examination by a dermatologist. Of the entire population, 33% satisfied the criteria for atopic dermatitis. Another group, described as the generic atopy subset, emerged from the classification and constituted 23% of the total. Individuals in this subset typically had either a personal history of atopic disease or a limited family history. They lacked past or present evidence of flexural rash. A third group, totaling 44%, was classified as nonatopic. A relatively large percent of each of the three groups exhibited some clinical signs of dry skin (e.g., scaling, flakiness). This feature is believed to be due, at least in part, to the damaging effects of the cold, dry conditions in Denver, Colorado.