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document
Determinants of total and specific IgE in infants with atopic dermatitis . ETAC Study Group . Early Treatment of the Atopic Child . ETAC ( Early Treatment of the Atopic Child ) , a multi-centre predominantly European study to investigate the potential for cetirizine to prevent the development of asthma in infants with atopic dermatitis has completed enrollment : 817 children have been randomised to 18 months ' treatment with either active or placebo and a subsequent 18 months of post-treatment follow-up . Results of the therapeutic effects will not be available for some time , but the study has provided an opportunity to investigate influences on sensitization to allergens in a large cohort of 1-2 years olds with already established atopic dermatitis , resident in different countries and in different environments . The study shows that in infants with atopic dermatitis , raised serum total IgE has significantly different determinants from that a specific allergen sensitization . In infancy , increased total IgE is more affected by factors increasing risk of intercurrent infection and non-specific airway inflammation , such as environmental tobacco smoke exposure ( p < 0.001 ) and the use of gas cookers ( p = 0.02 ) . Specific allergen sensitization as represented by detectable IgE antibodies is influenced primarily by allergen exposure . In Sweden , low level exposure to allergens is associated with reduced specific allergen sensitization rates even though the infants already have atopic dermatitis .
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Intervention_Pharmacological
cetirizine
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Intervention_Other
active
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Intervention_Control
placebo
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Outcome_Physical
sensitization to allergens
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Outcome_Physical
serum total IgE
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Outcome_Physical
specific allergen sensitization
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Outcome_Physical
total IgE
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Outcome_Physical
allergen sensitization
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Outcome_Physical
IgE antibodies
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Outcome_Physical
specific allergen sensitization