People with eczema, a skin condition marked by
itching, irritation and rashes, have another
problem: A new study suggests that they are
more likely to sustain broken bones and other
joint-and-bone injuries.
Researchers studied a nationally representative
sample of 34,500 adults ages 18 to 85, of whom
about seven per cent had eczema.
After controlling for age, sex, income, education,
asthma, hay fever, food allergies and other
factors, they found that people with eczema
were about 44 per cent more likely to have had
any injury, and 67 per cent more likely to have a
bone or joint injury serious enough to limit
physical activity, than those without the ailment.
Other skin problems were not associated with an
increased risk.
The study appeared in JAMA Dermatology.
The senior author, Dr. Jonathan I. Silverberg, an
assistant professor of dermatology at
Northwestern, said that fatigue and sleep
deprivation, or the use of sedating medicines like
antihistamines, could raise the risk of falls and
“are a setup for accidental injury.”
Moreover, the authors write, chronic
inflammation is associated with bone loss and an
increased risk of fractures.
Also, steroid medications, often used for eczema,
can weaken bones.
“Eczema is not skin deep,” Silverberg said.
“Its chronic effects go well beyond the skin.”

Source: http://www.punchng.com/health/science-world/health-and-fitness-news-148/