A new study has been published this month that puts water quality and the skin of infants under the microscope.Dr. Carsten Flohr and his team at King’s College London presented the results of their population-based study in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

　　一项最新发布的调查报告仔细研究了水质和婴儿皮肤的关系。在伦敦国王学院， Carsten Flohr 博士和自己的团队将他们基于人群的研究成果发布在《变态反应与临床免疫学杂志》上。

　　Researchers involved about 1,300 three-month old babies from across the UK in this study. They looked specifically at the level of calcium carbonate in the water, which is a measure of water hardness. The level of chlorine in the family’s water supply was also taken into consideration, as was the use of bathing products, and how regularly the infants were bathed.

　　这项研究的调查员选择了全英国1300名3个月大的婴儿为研究对象。他们仔细测量了水中的碳酸钙含量，以此表示水的硬度。同时还测量了家庭用水中的氯含量，洗浴用品的使用情况，以及婴儿洗浴的频率。

　　The infants were then examined for the presence of childhood eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis. The natural barrier of their skin was also examined; infants were screened for the FLG gene which is associated with a compromised skin barrier.

　　随后观察这些婴儿是否出现婴儿湿疹状况，也就是我们说的特应性皮炎。同时还测量了皮肤的天然屏障情况以及体内的FLG基因状况，这种基因与皮肤保护层受损有关系。

　　What they found was striking.

　　他们的结论令人大(微博)跌眼镜。

　　The study found that hard water is linked to an 87 percent increased risk of eczema for babies of three months of age.

　　研究发现，水质过硬会导致3个月大的婴儿患皮肤湿疹的几率增加87%。

　　“Our study builds on growing evidence of a link between exposure to hard water and the risk of developing eczema in childhood. It’s not yet clear whether calcium carbonate has a direct detrimental effect on the skin barrier, or whether other environmental factors directly related to water hardness, such as the water’s pH, may be responsible.” Dr Carsten Flohr said.

　　Carsten Flohr博士称：“越来越多的证据指向水质过硬与儿童患皮肤湿疹有关系，我们的研究正是建立在这个基础上。目前并不清楚碳酸钙是否直接对皮肤屏障有害，也不清楚别的环境因素是否会直接导致水质过硬问题，比如水的PH值也许会致此。”

　　And the study, thankfully, doesn’t end there.

　　谢天谢地，研究并未中止于此。

　　Dr. Flohr will be examining these results further, with a new study in the works. This subsequent study is due to commence later this year and the question they will be seeking to answer is whether a device to lower water hardness in households will have any effect on the skin of infants.

　　Flohr博士将在新的研究中进一步检测这些结果。这项新的研究将于今年晚些时候开始，主要致力于解决在家庭用水中安装软化水设备是否会对婴儿皮肤产生影响。

　　If a device is introduced into a household when a baby is born, will the risk of eczema developing reduce?

　　如果婴儿出生后，家里安装软化水设备，那么婴儿患湿疹的概率会不会降低呢?

　　For those with babies or children suffering, this could be the news you have hoped for. Eczema is a painful condition; any relief would be welcome.

　　对于那些有孩子的家庭来说，这也许是你希望看到的结果。湿疹很痛苦，我们愿付出一切来减轻这种痛苦。

（编辑：何莹莹）