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Eczema in adults may result in cardiovascular risks

Adults with eczema may be at a higher risk for developing cardiovascular diseases, according to recent study results in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Jonathan I. Silverberg, MD, PhD, MPH, and colleague Philip Greenland, MD, of the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, analyzed data for 27,157 and 34,525 adults aged 18 to 85 years from the 2010 and 2012 National Health Interview Survey.

Jonathan I. Silverberg

Silverberg and Greenland assessed the participants’ drinking and smoking habits as well their likelihood to exercise, the prevalence of hypertension, prediabetes and diabetes, and the history of high cholesterol.

The presence of eczema in adults was estimated at 7.2%. Compared with adults who did not have eczema, adults with eczema had higher odds of smoking 100 cigarettes in their lifetime (aOR=1.32; 95% CI, 1.18-1.47). Eczema was also linked with higher odds of hypertension (aOR=1.48; 95% CI, 1.18-1.85). Adults with eczema were less likely to participate in daily vigorous activity (aOR=0.79; 95% CI, 0.63-0.99).

“Adult eczema was found to be associated with increased odds of obesity, hypertension, prediabetes, diabetes, and high cholesterol, which are in part related to increased cigarette smoking, alcohol intake, and sedentary lifestyle,” the researchers wrote. “Together, these data suggest that adult eczema is a marker for cardiovascular risk.”

The researchers indicated the study had limitations including exposures and outcomes in the study participants reported in the survey that were not seen on physical examination.

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.