Study population
Characteristics of the study population are presented in Table 1. Within
the total group of 523 children with European ancestry, filaggrin
mutations were detected in 44 (8.4%) children, including 3 biallelic
mutations (2 compound heterozygous and 1 homozygous). The proportion of
patients with AD was lower in the wild-type group compared to the group
with FLG mutations (20% versus 42%; p<0.01). Within
the atopic dermatitis population, 15.7% children had a FLGmutation, including one biallelic mutation (homozygous). No differences
were observed between other atopic diseases, including asthma, inhalant
and food allergy and FLG mutation status (data not shown).