Higher dietary sodium intake associated with increased risk for atopic dermatitis
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Key takeaways:
- A 1 g increase of 24-hour urine sodium excretion was associated with 1.11 increased odds of AD.
- A 1 g per day higher dietary sodium intake was also linked with a 1.22 higher risk for current AD.
Higher dietary sodium intake was associated with a higher risk for current atopic dermatitis, suggesting that a sodium-restricting diet may be a helpful intervention for disease management, according to a study.
“There haven’t been many studies specifically on sodium and eczema,” Katrina Abuabara, MD, MA, MSCE, associate professor of dermatology at University of California, San Francisco, and associate adjunct professor of epidemiology at UC Berkeley School of Public Health, told Healio. “However, a fast food diet, which is often high in sodium among other things, has been linked to more severe eczema in children around the world.”
In their study, Abuabara and colleagues determined the extent to which higher levels of dietary sodium intake is associated with AD in adults aged 37 to 73 years.
The population-based cohort included 215,832 participants (mean age, 56.52 years; women, 54%), 5% (n = 10,839) of which had AD. The researchers examined 24-hour urine samples collected between March 31, 2006, and Oct. 1, 2010.
Results showed that the mean estimated 24-hour urine sodium excretion was 3.01 g per day and a 1 g increase was associated with increased odds of AD (adjusted OR = 1.11; 95% CI, 1.07-1.14). A 1 g increase in 24-hour urine sodium excretion was also linked to higher odds of active AD (aOR = 1.16; 95% CI, 1.05-1.28) and increasing AD severity (aOR = 1.11; 95% CI, 1.07-1.15).
A validation cohort, comprised of 13,014 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, confirmed that a 1 g per day higher dietary sodium intake was associated with a higher risk for current AD (aOR = 1.22; 95% CI, 1.01-1.47).
As a result, the authors concluded that a restriction of dietary sodium intake may be a cost-effective and low-risk intervention for AD.
“We already know that most adults eat too much sodium, and reduction of sodium intake to recommended levels is safe and beneficial for heart health,” Abuabara said. “Therefore, it would be reasonable for eczema patients to try this approach.”
When it comes to pediatric care, Abuabara emphasizes that parents should consult a pediatrician before making any dietary changes for their children with AD.
Abuabara also told Healio that one of the study’s limitations included an inability to track sodium or eczema severity over time. However, according to Abuabara, the researchers have received an NIH grant to do this.
“We are now working on setting up an experimental study to better understand potential mechanisms, including whether diet impacts the amount of sodium stored in the skin and how this leads to inflammation,” she told Healio. “We will also offer more specific guidance on the efficacy of dietary interventions.”