ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: We attempted to investigate clinical characteristics of children with severe atopic dermatitis. METHODS: A total of 204 children diagnosed with Atopic dermatitis at the Pediatric Allergy Respiratory Center in Busan St. Mary's Medical Center from June 2006 to June 2008 were enrolled in this study. Cases were divided into 3 groups according to SCORAD index: severe, moderate and mild groups. We collected birth, environment, and allergic family history, and tested serum IgE, total eosinophil count, specific IgE, ECP (Eosinophil Cationic Protein) and the SCORAD index between the 3 groups. RESULTS: Of the 204 patients, 100 (49.02%) were included in the severe group, 51 (25.0%) in the moderate group, and 53 (25.98%) in the mild group. There were no differences in serum total IgE, serum total eosinophil counts and ECP between the severe and moderate groups. Serum total IgE, serum total eosinophil counts and ECP were relatively higher in the severe group than mild group. Food allergen sensitization rate was relatively higher in the infantile severe group than in the childhood severe group, while inhalant allergen sensitization rate was relatively higher in the childhood severe group than in the infantile severe group. There was no correlation between serum total IgE, serum total eosinophil counts, ECP and the number of sensitized allergens relative to SCORAD index in the severe group. CONCLUSION: Serum IgE, total eosinophil count, specific IgE and ECP may be specific indicators of children with severe atopic dermatitis. Further studies are needed to determine a clear distinction between severe and moderate atopic dermatitis patients.