Abstract
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a multifactorial skin disease with a chronic or a chronic-relapsing course which often starts during infancy. The persistence rate of AD after the puberty is certainly higher than mostly assumed. 60% of the patients also develop respiratory atopies as hay fever or bronchial asthma. The etiology of this distressing skin condition is still obscure, but an immunological disturbance of the T-cell immune response is most probably implicated in its pathogenesis. The demonstration of IgE-bearing epidermal Langerhans cells with high-affinity receptors for IgE opens up new perspectives in its pathophysiology. As no efficient treatment of AD is known and a symptomatic treatment, local with emolients, corticosteroids and/or disinfectants as well as internal with antihistamines, is often difficult and unsatisfactory, prevention is of particular importance. The efficacy of prolonged breast-feeding, a strict prohibition of cow milk, egg, fish--during the first six months of life--and of keeping pets as well as a consequent treatment against house-dust mites can reduce the incidence of AD in 'at risk' children with a family history of atopy. Besides symptomatic treatment a substitution of essential fatty acids, a UV therapy and a climate therapy are other possible approaches in the management of such patients.