Atopic dermatitis is associated with an increased risk for rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease

[Lady Organic]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26253344
Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is characterized by epidermal barrier failure and immune-mediated inflammation. Evidence on AD as a potential risk factor for inflammatory comorbidities is scarce.
OBJECTIVES:

We sought to test the hypothesis that prevalent AD is a risk factor for incident rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD; Crohn disease [CD], ulcerative colitis [UC]) and is inversely related to type 1 diabetes (T1D) and to investigate established RA, IBD, and T1D susceptibility loci in AD.
METHODS:

This cohort study used data from German National Health Insurance beneficiaries aged 40 years or younger (n = 655,815) from 2005 through 2011. Prevalent AD in the period 2005 to 2006 was defined as primary exposure, and incident RA, IBD, and T1D in the period 2007 to 2011 were defined as primary outcomes. Risk ratios were calculated with generalized linear models. Established RA, IBD, and T1D loci were explored in high-density genotyping data from 2,425 cases with AD and 5,449 controls.
RESULTS:

Patients with AD (n = 49,847) were at increased risk for incident RA (risk ratio [RR], 1.72; 95% CI, 1.25-2.37) and/or IBD (CD: RR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.11-1.61; UC: RR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.03-1.53). After adjusting for health care utilization, there was a nominally significant inverse effect on T1D risk (RR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.53-0.998). There was no disproportionate occurrence of known RA, CD, UC, or T1D risk alleles in AD.
CONCLUSIONS:

AD is a risk factor for the development of RA and IBD. This excess comorbidity cannot be attributed to major known IBD and RA genetic risk factors.''

I fit there. I suffered from eczema all my childhood, started at 2 (I blame food components for it...) I wish I had tried some food exclusions trial at that time, as already 2 studies had been done in early 80's on the subject of pediatric AD with great results (exclusion of milk products and the other study, milk and cereals). This was a first red flag that my body was reacting to something. Im pretty sure my CD in young adulthood was just a continuum of this inflammatory response developed in infancy.

 

[my little penguin]

Ds is very atopic and has eczema plus other allergies
We were told it's extremely common for allergic kids to develop arthritis and Ibd among other autoimmune disorders .
Ds developed both .

Very little ezcema is caused by food though ( many parents and docs pull food first )
The immune system is over reactive simply put and thinks everything is foreign .
Bloodwork numbers for allergies are sky high when ezcema is active but once it is calmed down the bloodwork numbers also decrease .

 

[CrohnsKidMom]

This confirms what I have long thought. I have always had atopic dermatitis and environmental allergies, as does my mother's side of the family along with RA. My eldest son has had dermatitis, environmental allergies, and now CD. My younger son has no dermatitis, allergies, or IBD. Go figure.

As an adult, I saw a naturopath for the dermatitis. I was getting a little tired of all the steroid creams. We pulled dairy and wheat from my diet. It had no affect on the dermatitis.

 

[Charlotte.]

Interesting, thanks for sharing, LadyOrganic! I've been having atopic dermatitis as an infant as well. Now Crohn's and arthritis, sometimes minor eczema. Surprising it's all linked with each other.

 

[Lady Organic]

Interesting, thanks for sharing, LadyOrganic! I've been having atopic dermatitis as an infant as well. Now Crohn's and arthritis, sometimes minor eczema. Surprising it's all linked with each other.

I exhibit same thing as you as an adult!

is your arthritis chronic or is associated with CD flare only? mine is chronic since 3 years.

As a child I had eczema inside the elbows and knees mostly and sometimes a bit on hands (teenage). What about you? I now have some minor irruptions on face only, not sure if its eczema or fungal-related irruption. lately ive been keeping these irruption with tea tree oil with success.

ive never had seasonal allergies, but I know I am susceptible to them as I have already been tested in allergology a long time ago before crohns (in search for explanation for (reccurent conjunctivitis). That was just 2 year prior to CD dx...
I tested highly positive for some of the summer plants. hopefully this will forever remain quite!

 

[Charlotte.]

I have never been in remission since my diagnosis but my arthritis improves when I take anti inflammatory medication (e.g. steroids) and my Crohn's improves as well. So I am expected to have Crohn's-related arthritis, it does not seem to be an independent disease but, of course, it's chronic for me as well, it won't go away by itself.
Sometimes I'm not quite sure which symptoms have started earlier, the Crohn's symptoms or the arthritis ones, it's been so long ago, so I can't really remember.