Does Eczema Lead To Asthma?

Eczema and Asthma are have in common that they are diseases of the developed nations. Researchers think that's no accident; they have found some evidence that eczema causes asthma.

A report in the Public Library of Science Biology, as documented in The Economist, suggests that skin cells damaged by eczema secrete thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) which, in turn, elicits a strong immune response from the body to fight off invaders. Eczema-induced TSLP enters the bloodstream and, when it arrives at the lungs, sensitizes them so that they react to allergens that would not previously have bothered them. In other words, they become asthmatic.

Nobody really knows what causes eczema. One theory is that cleanliness is the culprit. Detergents, by degreasing the skin, might lead to infection, inflammation, and immune responses with severe side effects like asthma. If so, the "old wives" missed a chance to tell a tale. Maybe little Johnny is not sickly despite how well his mommy takes cares of him, but because his mommy takes such good care of him.