Abstract
Atopic dermatitis(AD) is a multifactorial disease in which various kinds of worsening factors are involved. It has been proven by double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge that dietary antigens are capable to induce the deterioration in a part of patients with AD.
Recently, we reported that food antigens such as hen’s egg, cow’s milk, wheat, peanut and buckwheat were detected in a considerably high amount in house dust. We speculate that the dermal contact of food debris in house dust may be involved in the exacerbation in some AD patients.
The prevalence of involvement of foods in AD as a worsening factor is high in young children and decreases with age. Food antigens are likely to be responsible for severer AD. Elimination diet is essential therapy for the AD in which foods act as a worsening factor. However, the avoidance of food may cause the nutritional, economical and mental burden on the patients and the parents. The accurate determination of offending foods is important for the minimal elimination of food to decrease the burden.
