There’s a question that’s been circulating widely these days. It’s in the clinic, it’s in the news, and it’s on patients' minds. Why do allergies appear to be increasing? Enter the epithelial barrier hypothesis. This is a developing theory that sees a connection between the ‘atopic march’ and the breakdown of the epithelial barrier.
On today’s episode we speak with Professor Cezmi Akdis. Professor Akdis is a director of the Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research in Davos and professor at the University of Zurich. His research has been instrumental in the development of the epithelial barrier hypothesis.
We cover:
What epithelial barrier integrity looks like when it is working
What epithelial dysfunction looks like
Evidence for epithelial barrier breakdown
Connection between epithelial barrier dysfunction and the atopic march
Environmental factors common to Western societies, such as detergents, processed food and air pollution, that impact the epithelial barrier
Opportunities for early intervention to repair the barrier
It can seem like the sources of epithelial dysfunction are just about everywhere but the solution may begin at home.
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