| Summary: | Background: The relationship between the skin barrier- and lung function in infancy is largely unexplored. We aimed to explore if reduced skin barrier function by high transepidermal water loss (TEWL), or manifestations of eczema or Filaggrin (<i>FLG</i>) mutations, were associated with lower lung function in three-month-old infants. Methods: From the population-based PreventADALL cohort, 899 infants with lung function measurements and information on either TEWL, eczema at three months of age and/or <i>FLG</i> mutations were included. Lower lung function by tidal flow-volume loops was defined as a ratio of time to peak tidal expiratory flow to expiratory time (<i>t</i><sub>PTEF</sub>/<i>t</i><sub>E</sub>) <0.25 and a <i>t</i><sub>PTEF</sub> <0.17 s (<25th percentile). A high TEWL >8.83 g/m<sup>2</sup>/h (>75th percentile) denoted reduced skin barrier function, and DNA was genotyped for <i>FLG</i> mutations (R501X, 2282del4 and R2447X). Results: Neither a high TEWL, nor eczema or <i>FLG</i> mutations, were associated with a lower <i>t</i><sub>PTEF</sub>/<i>t</i><sub>E</sub>. While a high TEWL was associated with a lower <i>t</i><sub>PTEF</sub>; adjusted OR (95% CI) 1.61 (1.08, 2.42), the presence of eczema or <i>FLG</i> mutations were not. Conclusions: Overall, a high TEWL, eczema or <i>FLG</i> mutations were not associated with lower lung function in healthy three-month-old infants. However, an inverse association between high TEWL and <i>t</i><sub>PTEF</sub> was observed, indicating a possible link between the skin barrier- and lung function in early infancy.
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