12 Jun UCSF Study Finds Salt Intake May Be Associated with Eczema Severity
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Abuabar
Katrina Abuabara, MD, MA, MSCE
Associate Professor of Dermatology, UCSF
Associate Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology
UC Berkeley School of Public Health
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Eczema (also known as atopic dermatitis) has become increasingly common over recent decades, especially in industrialized countries, suggesting that environmental or lifestyle factors like diet could impact rates of disease. It is well established that sodium, consumed primarily in the form of salt, increases the risk of hypertension and heart disease through pro-inflammatory mechanisms. The role of sodium on other chronic inflammatory conditions like eczema has been less well-studied.
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?
Response: We measured salt consumption based on urine markers in a cohort of over 200,000 adults from the UK and found that one additional daily gram of sodium consumption was associated with an 11% higher odds of eczema diagnosis, 16% higher odds of active eczema around the time of urine measurement, and 11% higher odds of increased eczema severity.
Similarly, in a validation analysis in a US-based cohort, one-gram higher consumption of sodium based on dietary surveys was associated with 22% higher odds of active eczema. For reference, one gram of sodium corresponds to approximately 2.5 grams of table salt (roughly half of a teaspoon of salt), or the sodium content of a McDonald’s BigMac hamburger (or a cup of baked beans, which is a more common diet staple in the UK).
MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Response: Although it hasn’t yet been proven that reducing dietary salt can improve eczema, most Americans eat too much salt and can safely reduce salt intake to recommended levels.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a results of this study?
Response: We are planning to follow participants over time to more precisely measure sodium intake and eczema severity. In addition, we will investigate potential mechanisms for this association including whether sodium in stored in the skin and how it impacts the microbiome inflammatory pathways.
Citation:
Chiang BM, Ye M, Chattopadhyay A, Halezeroglu Y, Van Blarigan EL, Abuabara K. Sodium Intake and Atopic Dermatitis. JAMA Dermatol. Published online June 05, 2024. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2024.1544
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Last Updated on June 12, 2024 by Marie Benz MD FAAD