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Water-damaged homes associated with children's atopic dermatitis

Water-damaged homes were significantly associated with children with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis, according to recent study results.

Jihyun Kim, MD, PhD, and Kangmo Ahn, MD, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea, and colleagues visited the homes of 52 children with atopic dermatitis (AD; mean age, 4 years; 53.8% boys) and obtained air samples from living rooms and children’s bedrooms. Water damage was determined through thermal assessments made by an infrared (IR) camera and visible signs of mold or water stains. Differences between water-damaged and undamaged homes and other factors were used to assess the effect of the damage on AD severity.

Jihyun Kim

SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) testing was utilized to classify children as having mild AD (SCORAD <25) or moderate to severe AD (SCORAD ≥25).

Thirty-one homes (59.6%) had visible water damage, and the airborne mold concentrations were greater in those homes vs. undamaged homes (P=.0013). Homes with visible mold and water stains displayed no difference in airborne mold levels compared with homes without such damage. Moderate to severe AD was significantly related to water-damaged homes (adjusted OR=14.52; 95% CI, 1.75-121.13) when assessed by regression analyses.

Kangmo Ahn

“The association of the severity of AD with the presence of water damage … is applicable as a risk factor for severe AD,” the researchers concluded. “These findings also confirm that thermal assessment using an IR camera may be a promising tool in determining moisture problems in homes before full mold sampling, rather than visual and olfactory observation.

“Furthermore, more quantifiable and precise assessment for water damage in homes for investigating the dose-response relation between moisture problems and the development or exacerbation of allergic diseases could be fulfilled if this methodology is combined simultaneously with a questionnaire and visual inspection.”

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosure.