Objective.To describe risk markers of atopic dermatitis for the occurrence of atopic dermatitis in low-income population in Indonesia.
Methods.Prospective survival analysis study was done in babies born vaginally in Kemayoran Community Health Centre in Central Jakarta over a 10 months period. Occurrence of atopic dermatitis until the age of 10 months was diagnosed based on Hanifin-Rajka criteria. Prognostic factors for the development of atopic dermatitis were analyzed by SPSS Statistic 20 using Kaplan-Meier test and Cox regression model with a level of significance < 0.05.
Results.Some 400 healthy term infant were enrolled into this study. Male-to-female ratio was 1.04:1. The mean age at of the onset of atopic dermatitis was 5.4 months (ranging from 1 until 10 months). Family income varied from only 15 to 769 US$/ month with a mean income of 150 US$. Atopic dermatitis occurred in 53 (13.3%). Smoking, number of people in the house and number of siblings in the family were not associated with the occurrence of atopic dermatitis in bivariate analysis. Atopic family history, higher degree of mother’s education and not being exclusively breastfed predicted occurrence of atopic dermatitis. In multivariate analysis only atopic family history (HR 5.0, 95% CI 2.3-10.9) and lower mother’s education (HR 0.5, 95% CI 0.2;0.9) were identified as prognostic factors.
Conclusion. Atopic family history and higher mother’s education are independent prognostic factors for the occurrence of atopic dermatitis in infants from low income population in Indonesia.