A long-term epidemiological study evaluated the natural history of atopic dermatitis (AD) in a Japanese community of primary school children and junior high school students. During the 9-year survey, both the prevalence of AD (the median AD prevalence was 7.6%) and the percentage of the area of whole-body AD skin eruptions decreased with growth. Increased levels of total IgE and house dust mite-specific IgE were observed in patients with AD as opposed to children with dry skin and healthy skin. The serum total house dust mite- and Japanese cedar pollen-specific IgE levels were also significantly higher in children with clinically dry skin alone without atopy than in healthy children. The ...