COVID vaccine linked to fewer infections and allergies in kids with eczema

"Atopic dermatitis is a chronic skin condition driven by the immune system and often precedes the development of asthma and allergic rhinitis," explained medical student Tristan Nguyen, BS, the lead author of the study. "Children with AD are also at higher risk for infections, including those affecting the skin and respiratory system."

Large Study Examines Vaccinated vs. Unvaccinated Children

Researchers performed a retrospective cohort study that included 5,758 vaccinated and 5,758 unvaccinated children under the age of 17 who had atopic dermatitis. Participants in both groups were carefully matched for demographic and health characteristics to ensure balanced comparison. Children who had previously been infected with COVID-19 or had serious underlying medical conditions were not included in the study.

"Our study suggests that COVID-19 vaccination not only protects against coronavirus but may also have broader health benefits for children with atopic dermatitis," said principal investigator Zhibo Yang, MD, PhD. "We found lower rates of both allergic conditions and infections among vaccinated children compared to their unvaccinated peers."

Fewer Infections and Allergic Conditions Among Vaccinated Children

The analysis revealed several key trends:

• Vaccinated children had notably fewer infections, including otitis media, pneumonia, bronchitis, bronchiolitis, sinusitis, upper respiratory infections, impetigo, molluscum contagiosum, and other common skin infections.
• They were also less likely to develop allergic conditions such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, contact dermatitis, and food-triggered anaphylaxis.
• There was a longer time between vaccination and the onset of several illnesses, including allergic rhinitis, viral infections, and ear infections.

Possible Role in Preventing Disease Progression

"The results indicate that vaccination may help reduce the likelihood of atopic disease progression, such as the development of asthma, in children with eczema," said Dr. Yang. "It reinforces the safety and potential added benefits of COVID-19 vaccination in this vulnerable population."

These findings add to growing research that highlights vaccination as an important tool not only for preventing COVID-19 but also for supporting overall immune health in children with chronic allergic conditions.

R382 COVID-19 VACCINATION IS ASSOCIATED WITH REDUCED COMPLICATIONS IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS WITH ATOPIC DERMATITIS

T. Nguyen, T. Kumala, P. Nguyen, H. Chan, A. Pham, J. Wang, Y. Tanas, Z. Yang.

Introduction: Atopic dermatitis (AD) involves immune dysregulation and increases the risk of allergic and infectious conditions, often preceding asthma and allergic rhinitis in the atopic triad. This study evaluated whether COVID-19 vaccination influences allergic or infection-related outcomes in children with AD.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study using TriNetX compared vaccinated and unvaccinated pediatric AD patients (≤17 years), excluding those with prior COVID-19 infection or major comorbidities. After 1:1 matching, 5,758 patients per cohort were analyzed using risk ratios (RRs) and hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs (p < 0.05).

Results: COVID-19 vaccination was associated with reduced incidence of multiple infections, including otitis media (RR=0.623; 95%CI: 0.554-0.701), pneumonia (RR=0.604; 95%CI: 0.512-0.714), bronchitis (RR=0.488; 95%CI: 0.286-0.831), bronchiolitis (RR=0.480; 95%CI: 0.345-0.669), non-COVID viral infections (RR=0.547; 95%CI: 0.456-0.657), sinusitis (RR=0.549; 95%CI: 0.408-0.738), upper respiratory infections (RR=0.647; 95%CI: 0.582-0.720), impetigo (RR=0.492; 95%CI: 0.355-0.683), molluscum contagiosum (RR=0.597; 95%CI: 0.408-0.873), and skin infections (RR=0.559; 95%CI: 0.355-0.878). Risks of allergic complications were also reduced, including asthma (RR=0.696; 95%CI: 0.568-0.854), allergic rhinitis (RR=0.561; 95%CI: 0.477-0.660), contact dermatitis (RR=0.537; 95%CI: 0.320-0.901), and other allergy-related conditions such as anaphylactic food reactions (RR=0.703; 95%CI: 0.525-0.941) indicating potential protection against atopic progression. Hazard analysis showed significantly delayed time-to-event onset for otitis media, bronchiolitis, viral infections, upper respiratory infections, and allergic rhinitis (all p < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in psychiatric or growth-related outcomes.

Conclusion: COVID-19 vaccination is associated with reduced asthma and other immune-mediated complications in children with atopic dermatitis. These findings support the safety and potential broader protective benefits of vaccination in this population.