ABSTRACT
Objective: To detect the levels of interleukin-7 (IL-7) and IL-10 in peripheral blood of the patients with different clinical stages of eczama, and to elucidate their clinical significances. Methods: Ninety patients with eczema were selected, and divided into acute eczama group (n=30), subacute ecxama group (n=30), and chronic eczama group (n=30). Meanwhile, 30 healthy people who went to hospital for physical examination during the same period were recruited as control group. The relative expression levels of cytokines IL-7 and IL-10 mRNA in peripheral blood of the subjects in various groups were detected by RT-PCR method. The levels of IL-7 and IL-10 in peripheral blood of the subjects in various groups were measured by ELISA method. The eczema area and severity index (EASI) scores of the subjects in various groups were detected. The relationships between IL-7 level, IL-10 level and EASI scores were analyzed. Results: Compared with control group, the relative expression levels IL-7 and IL-10 mRNA in peripheral blood of the patients with different clinical stages of eczenma were significantly increased (F= 3. 17, P= 0. 04; F= 4. 73, P = 0. 02); the expression levels of IL-7 and IL-10 in peripheral blood of the patients with different clinical stages of eczema were significantly increased (F= 6. 23, P<0. 01; F= 5. 34, P= 0. 01). The levels of IL-7 and IL-10 were positively correlated with the corresponding mRNA relative expression levels in peripheral blood of the patients with different clinical stages of eczema (r= 0. 95, P<0. 01; r= 0. 94, P<0. 01) and EASI scores of the patients (r=0. 88, P<0. 01; r= 0. 89, P<0. 01), which were increased along with the increasing of severity degree of the patients. Conclusion: The levels of IL-7 and IL-10 of the patients with eczema are significantly higher than those in the healthy controls, which are positively correlated with the severity of the disease. The cytokines IL-7 and IL-10 may be involved in the pathological process of eczema, and the detection of their experssion levels contributes to assess the severity of disease.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, relapsing disease with genetic and environmental background. Many factors may act as triggers and affect the course of the disease. However, little is known about the factors affecting the disease severities in Korean childhood AD. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to document the distinct characteristics of childhood AD in Korea and to determine which manifestations are prone to be present in the settings of different severity of the disease. METHOD: The clinical manifestations, past medical and family history, and inducing or aggravating factors were studied in patients, who participated in the open lectures for childhood AD patients in three provinces of Korea. The severity of the disease was evaluated using the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) and the factors affecting the severity of the disease were determined. Skin prick tests with four allergens, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, milk, peanut and egg, were also carried out. RESULTS: Of the 93 patients, 38.7% had the disease onset between the age of three and six, while 17.2% had it between the age of seven and fifteen. Sixty-five percent of the patients had family members with a history of atopic diseases, such as AD, asthma, allergic rhinitis and allergic conjunctivitis. In order of frequency, the patients either had a history of or presently accompanying infantile eczema, allergic rhinitis, asthma or allergic conjunctivitis. Among the patients, 27% took herbal medication. The most frequently involved site was the flexural area. The most common aggravating factors were sweating in hot environment, wool fabric and stress. When AD patients were categorized into mild, moderate and severe groups by EASI, the older onset age, the longer duration, facial distribution, history of taking herbal medication, cholinergic condition, wool fabric and stress were found to be significant factors influencing the severity of the disease. Skin prick test with the four major allergens revealed the highest prevalence in Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. CONCLUSION: The age of onset of AD was higher than that has been reported. Many suffered from infantile dermatitis and had other accompanying atopic diseases. Aggravating factors should be avoided to minimize the risk of disease aggravation. Based on the fact that late onset age, duration, facial distribution, history of taking herbal medication, cholinergic condition, wool and stress were the statistically significant factors, we may predict the severity or the course of the disease.