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).