Atopy

Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:DiseaseDisorder infobox

WikiDoc Resources for Atopy

Articles

Most recent articles on Atopy

Most cited articles on Atopy

Review articles on Atopy

Articles on Atopy in N Eng J Med, Lancet, BMJ

Media

Powerpoint slides on Atopy

Images of Atopy

Photos of Atopy

Podcasts & MP3s on Atopy

Videos on Atopy

Evidence Based Medicine

Cochrane Collaboration on Atopy

Bandolier on Atopy

TRIP on Atopy

Clinical Trials

Ongoing Trials on Atopy at Clinical Trials.gov

Trial results on Atopy

Clinical Trials on Atopy at Google

Guidelines / Policies / Govt

US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Atopy

NICE Guidance on Atopy

NHS PRODIGY Guidance

FDA on Atopy

CDC on Atopy

Books

Books on Atopy

News

Atopy in the news

Be alerted to news on Atopy

News trends on Atopy

Commentary

Blogs on Atopy

Definitions

Definitions of Atopy

Patient Resources / Community

Patient resources on Atopy

Discussion groups on Atopy

Patient Handouts on Atopy

Directions to Hospitals Treating Atopy

Risk calculators and risk factors for Atopy

Healthcare Provider Resources

Symptoms of Atopy

Causes & Risk Factors for Atopy

Diagnostic studies for Atopy

Treatment of Atopy

Continuing Medical Education (CME)

CME Programs on Atopy

International

Atopy en Espanol

Atopy en Francais

Business

Atopy in the Marketplace

Patents on Atopy

Experimental / Informatics

List of terms related to Atopy


Overview

Atopy (Greek ατοπία - placelessness) or atopic syndrome is an allergic hypersensitivity affecting parts of the body not in direct contact with the allergen. It may involve eczema (atopic dermatitis), allergic conjunctivitis, allergic rhinitis and asthma. There appears to be a strong hereditary component. One study concludes that "the general risk of developing atopic dermatitis (3%) and atopy (7%) increases by a factor of two with each first-degree family member already suffering from atopy" [1].

Eczema-a typical atopic manifestation

The hereditary component is presumably due to certain genes coding proteins involved in the normal immune response mechanism, i.e., human leukocyte antigen, although environmental factors have also been implicated. Atopic syndrome can be fatal for those who experience serious allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis, brought on by reactions to food or environment.

The individual components are all caused at least in part by allergy (type I hypersensitivity reactions). These responses appear after the body is exposed to various allergens, for example specific kinds of food, pollen, dander or insect venoms. Although atopy has various definitions, most consistently it is defined by the presence of elevated levels of total and allergen-specific IgE in the serum of patient, leading to positive skin-prick tests to common allergens.

The multicenter PARSIFAL study in 2006, involving 6630 children age 5 to 13 in 5 European countries, suggested that restrictive use of antibiotics and antipyretics, are associated with a reduced risk of allergic disease in children.[2]

Some symptoms, from an atopy questionnaire[3]:

Atopic diseases of childhood

The atopic diseases of childhood consist of atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, and asthma.

References

  1. "A family study of atopic dermatitis". Archives of Dermatological Research. Springer Berlin / Heidelberg. 282 (Number 2 / January, 1990): 98–102. Sunday, December 12, 2004. doi:10.1007/BF00493466. Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (help); Check date values in: |accessdate=, |date= (help); |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  2. Flöistrup, H., Swartz, J., Bergström, A., Alm, J. S., Scheynius, A., et al. (2006). Allergic disease and sensitization in Steiner school children. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 117(1), 59-66. PMID 16387585 Reprint copy
  3. Template:Note labelErlanger Atopy Questionnaire, original site offline, Internet Archive cache, due to be reposted at http://eczema.dermis.net/content/e06question/index_eng.html

External links


de:Atopie (Medizin) nl:Atopie fi:Atopia


Template:WikiDoc Sources