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Biomedical subjects

R M Emerson

Publications and source records attributed to R M Emerson.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Cross-reactivity patterns to budesonide.

Allergic contact dermatitis from topical corticosteroids is not uncommon. Budesonide has been included in the European standard series as a marker for corticosteroid allergy, though little is known of its cross-reactivity with other corticosteroids. Twelve patients previously positive to budesonide on patch testing were given further patch and intradermal tests to a range of corticosteroids. Six patients previously negative to budesonide on patch testing were used as a control group. Budesonide cross-reacts with hydrocortisone-21-sodium phosphate and triamcinolone acetonide. Patients positive to budesonide should therefore avoid hydrocortisone and triamcinolone acetonide. Patch testing, unfortunately, is an inaccurate method of determining cross-reactivity patterns among corticosteroids.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed2001

What is the cost of atopic dermatitis in preschool children?

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common inflammatory skin disorder and an important cause of morbidity in young children in the U.K. Such disability produces significant economic burden reflected in direct medical costs associated with health service utilization, direct family care costs such as transport costs, indirect costs associated with loss of productivity of carers, and intangible costs associated with the psychological effects of the disease. OBJECTIVES: In order to evaluate this economic burden we conducted a cross-sectional survey of children aged 1-5 years in the Nottingham area in 1995-96. METHODS: We sent a postal questionnaire to parents of all children aged 1-5 years with questions to identify those with AD; a second questionnaire was sent to parents of identified children regarding costs and utilization of medical services. Intangible costs were not evaluated. RESULTS: The 12-month period prevalence of AD according to a dermatologist's diagnosis in 1761 children was 16.5% (95% confidence interval 14.7-18.2%). Total mean disease costs were estimated to be pound79.59 per child over the 12-month period of the study. The most significant costs were due to costs to the state for National Health Service (NHS) consultations ( pound28.62 mean annual cost) and prescriptions ( pound22.03). Consultations with general practitioners accounted for the significant bulk of consultation costs, with only 6% of children being seen in secondary care (17 of 290). Most prescribing costs (76%) were due to emollients and bath preparations. Family care costs ( pound28.94 mean annual cost) accounted for 36% of total disease costs and were associated with changes to the home environment, purchase of over-the-counter medicines, transport costs, visits to homoeopaths and salary loss. CONCLUSIONS: The results signify that AD is an important cause of economic burden both to the NHS and to the families of affected children. Using population census data and the results in this study, we estimated that the annual U.K. cost of AD in children aged 1-5 years in 1995-96 was pound47 million.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed2000

The Nottingham Eczema Severity Score: preliminary refinement of the Rajka and Langeland grading.

A method for assessing disease severity of atopic dermatitis (AD) in children has been developed for population-based research. Based on an index first described by Rajka and Langeland in 1989, disease severity is determined by evaluating the three elements of clinical course, disease intensity and extent of examined AD. This paper describes development of the index for use in epidemiological studies based on a community-based study of 290 pre-school children (aged 1-5 years). Construct validity of the index was evaluated with respect to clinical severity assessment according to a dermatologist, parental severity assessment, use of topical corticosteroids and impairment of quality of life. The severity distribution of AD in this community-based sample of children was: mild 82% (n = 237), moderate 12% (n = 36) and severe 6% (n = 17) according to this new index. In this sample 24% of children had suffered from AD of more than 9 months duration in the preceding 12 months, 4.5% had experienced significant sleep loss (6 or more nights of average sleep loss per week over 12 months) and 11% had experienced widespread extent of involvement (more than 10 body sites involved). Construct validity of the index was demonstrated for clinical and patient-derived severity assessment. This included a comparison between the new index and a global severity assessment by a dermatologist in which exact agreement was achieved in 88% of the cases. A small subgroup of children suffering from persistent localized forms of AD (discoid pattern, hand/ foot dermatitis, perioral dermatitis), who reported considerable morbidity, was identified using quality of life measures of severity; they would otherwise have been misclassified by the dermatologist or new index. Preliminary use of the Nottingham Eczema Severity Score would support further development as a research tool for a simple assessment of disease severity that could be used in epidemiological studies. Further validation is required with respect to use in older children, administration by researchers/health professionals and development as a wholly questionnaire-based assessment.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1998

Severity distribution of atopic dermatitis in the community and its relationship to secondary referral.

Although atopic dermatitis is the most common inflammatory dermatosis affecting children, no previous studies have evaluated the relationship between disease severity and the referral pattern to secondary health care services. We carried out a cross-sectional survey of 1760 children aged 1-5 years selected from the age-sex registers of four urban and semiurban general practices in Nottingham. Atopic dermatitis was diagnosed by a dermatologist on the basis of symptoms and signs of a flexural itchy rash that had been present in the previous 12 months. The severity of atopic dermatitis was assessed clinically by the same dermatologist on the basis of reported symptoms over the previous 12 months and clinical signs, and was graded on a three-point scale as mild, moderate or severe. Information on the use of primary and secondary health care services was recorded at the time of the interview. The 1-year period prevalence of atopic dermatitis was 16.5% (95% confidence interval 14.7-18.2%). The severity distribution of atopic dermatitis was: mild 84% (n = 242), moderate 14% (n = 41) and severe 2% (n = 7). Of those children with atopic dermatitis, 96% (n = 278) had consulted their general practitioner in the previous 12 months and 6% (n = 17) had been seen in secondary care. Overall, 4% (n = 11) of those children with atopic dermatitis had a consultation with a dermatologist. Other sources of secondary care referral included the paediatric department (n = 2) and accident and emergency department (n = 6). Referral to secondary care was found to be positively related to disease severity, with referral occurring in 3% of mild cases, 15% of moderate cases and 43% of severe cases. Although the relative referral rate of mild and moderately severe disease was low, these cases were found to represent a significant proportion (82%) of the total numbers of children seen in secondary care. This study has shown that: (i) most cases of atopic dermatitis in the community are mild in severity; (ii) referral to secondary health care services by general practitioners is infrequent; (iii) disease severity is an important determinant of referral to secondary care; and (iv) any potential change in the referral pattern of mild/moderate cases of atopic dermatitis to secondary care is likely to produce a significant increase in workload for dermatology departments.

Child, Preschool↗