Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine: http://www.expertreviews.org/
DOI: 10.1017/S1462399407000282; 3 April 2007
Saffron A.G. Willis-Owen, Nilesh Morar and Charles A. Willis-Owen (2007) Atopic dermatitis: insights from linkage overlap and disease co-morbidity. Expert Rev. Mol. Med. Vol. 9, Issue 9, DOI: 10.1017/S1462399407000282

Atopic dermatitis: insights from linkage overlap and disease co-morbidity

Saffron A.G. Willis-Owen ^{a1 c1}, Nilesh Morar ^{a1 a2} and Charles A. Willis-Owen ^a3

^a1 National Heart and Lung Institute, Guy Scadding Building, Dovehouse St, London, SW3 6LY, UK.

^a2 Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, Dermatology Dept, 369 Fulham Rd, London, SW10 9NH, UK.

^a3 Northwick Park Hospital, Watford Rd, Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 3UJ, UK.

^c1 Corresponding author: Saffron Willis-Owen, National Heart and Lung Institute, Guy Scadding Building, Dovehouse St, London, SW3 6LY, UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 7352 8121 (ext. 3300); Fax: +44 (0)20 7351 8126; E-mail: s.willis-owen@imperial.ac.uk

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a strongly heritable, chronic relapsing dermatosis that frequently co-occurs with other atopic phenotypes including asthma and allergic rhinitis (the so-called atopic triad disorders). However, despite high levels of co-morbidity, relatively low levels of genomic co-incidence have been observed between atopic triad disorders. Conversely, current mapping data have revealed a striking pattern of co-localisation between AD disease loci and those mapped using another chronic dermatological disease – psoriasis. In this review, we examine the evidence for co-localisation between AD and a range of atopic, infectious, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, and consider the implications of these data for the AD disease concept and future research in the field.

Full text online (purchase or subscribe through Cambridge Journals Online)

| home | search | glossary | links | sitemap | contact |

Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine © Cambridge University Press ISSN 1462-3994 (Disclaimer and copyright)
Editorial Office: Centre for Applied Research in Educational Technologies (CARET), 1st Floor, 16 Mill Lane, Cambridge, CB2 1SB, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1223 765 375; Fax: +44(0)1223 765 505; E-mail: ermm@caret.cam.ac.uk