The following are the most important diseases or complications that may be contributed to by atopic eczema (neurodermatitis):
Respiratory system (J00-J99)
- Allergic rhinitis (hay fever).
- Allergic bronchial asthma
Eyes and eye appendages (H00-H59)
- Atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKK; inadequate wetting of the cornea and conjunctiva with tears (dry eye syndrome) with inflammation of the cornea (keratitis) and conjunctiva (conjunctivitis)) due to pollen (25-40% of atopic dermatitis patients)Note: This can lead to corneal complications if left untreated, affecting vision.
Infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99).
- Eczema herpeticatum – infection of skin regions altered by atopic eczema with herpes virus.
- Eczema molluscatum – spread of molluscum contagiosum virus (MCV) in atopic eczema (infancy between the ages of 3 and 4).
- Eczema vaccinatum – disseminated infection of atopic eczema with vaccinia pox virus.
- Impetiginization (secondary bacterial infection of a dermatosis/skin disease), esp. with Staphylococcus aureus (early childhood).
- Malassezia-triggered head and neck eczema – Malasezzia species belong to the lipophilic yeasts; systemic infections in diseases such as pityriasis versicolor, atopic eczema or pityrosporum folliculitis.
- Mollusca contagiosa (dell warts).
- Pityrosporon ovale infection (fungal infection).
- Rhinoconjunctivitis allergica – allergic inflammation of the nose and conjunctiva of the eye.
- Tinea – one of the most common inflammatory skin disease caused by dermatophytes.
- Verrucae vulgares – common warts.
Skin and subcutis (L00-L99)
- Irritant contact eczema – skin reactions caused by irritating substances.
Circulatory system (I00-I99)
- Angina pectoris (chest tightness; heart pain).
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Peripheral arterial occlusive disease (pAVK) – progressive stenosis (narrowing) or occlusion (closure) of the arteries supplying the arms / (more often) legs, usually due to atherosclerosis (arteriosclerosis, arteriosclerosis).
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99).
- Osteoporosis (bone loss) → increased fracture risk (bone fracture risk; 10% higher hip as well as pelvic fracture risk; vertebral fracture risk increased 18% with skin disease, ankle fracture risk increased 7%).
Psyche – Nervous System (F00-F99; G00-G99).
- Psychosocial problems caused by appearance; may include anxiety disorders and depression.
- Insomnia (sleep disorders)
Injuries, poisonings, and certain other sequelae of external causes (S00-T98).
- Food allergies (15% vs. 4-6% of the general population).
Further
- Alteration of the skin microbiome
Prognostic factors
A large Europe-wide study, based on data from the PASTURE (Protection against Allergy Study in Rural Enviroments) study, searched for factors that promote or help prevent atopic eczema in children.Four different phenotypes were identified:
| Phenotype | Number (%) | History/development | Food allergies (OR) | Bronchial asthma (OR) | Allergic rhinitis (OR) |
| Early transient phenotype | n = 96 (9,2 %) | Symptoms of atopic eczema already within the first two years of life, but are completely symptom-free again after the fourth birthday | 3,71 | ||
| Early persistent phenotype | n = 67 (6,5 %) | Sickened very early, atopic eczema persists until six years of age | 7.79 (95%-KI 3.42-17.73) | 2.87 (95%-KI 1.31-6.31) | 4.04(95 %-KI 1.82-8.95) |
| Late phenotype | n = 50 (4,8 %) | First skin symptoms only after the second year of life | Late phenotype compared with early persistent phenotype: 7.5% vs. 17.5 | 3.23(95%-KI 1.37-7.61) | |
| Sporadic phenotype | n = 825 (79,5 %) | Only occasional symptoms or no symptoms at all |
Odds ratio (OR): risk ratio.
Children whose parents both had allergies in their medical history were 5 times more at risk of developing atopic eczema with an early persistent phenotype compared with children with parents without allergies in their medical history.
