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Eczema Diagnosis Is Associated With Melanocytic Nevi in Children

Robert P. Dellavalle, MD, PhD; Eric J. Hester, MD; Deborah L. Stegner, MD; Ann M. Deas, MD; Theresa R. Pacheco, MD; Stefan Mokrohisky, MD; Joseph G. Morelli, MD; Lori A. Crane, MD

Arch Dermatol. 2004;140:577-580.

Background  The number of melanocytic nevi is the best single marker of increased melanoma risk. In a previous study, adults with severe eczema were reported to have significantly fewer nevi than adults without eczema.

Observations  In a nested case-control design within a randomized, controlled interventional trial of additional sun protection vs standard care in 269 children, a history of eczema was reported by the parents of 44 (16%) of the children. More nevi were found in children with a parental report of previous eczema diagnosis than in children without reported eczema (median, 7.5 nevi vs 5.0 nevi; P = .01). Eczema diagnosis was most significantly associated with more melanocytic nevi in children with lightly pigmented skin (8.5 nevi vs 6.0 nevi; P <.001). In multivariate logistical regression analysis, including assessment of hair color, sun protection practices, and study assignment (intervention vs standard care), eczema status remained significantly predictive of nevi number in children (P <.001).

Conclusions  In contrast to a previous study that associated severe eczema with fewer nevi in adults, in the present study children with a reported history of eczema had more nevi than children without a reported history of eczema.

From the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Dr Dellavalle); the Departments of Dermatology (Drs Dellavalle, Hester, Stegner, Pacheco, and Morelli) and Preventive Medicine and Biometrics (Drs Dellavalle, Deas, and Crane), University of Colorado School of Medicine; the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center Clinical Science Programs (Dr Hester); and the Department of Pediatrics, Kaiser Permanente Health Maintenance Organization of Colorado (Dr Mokrohisky), Denver, Colo. The authors have no relevant financial interest in this article.

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