Interleukin-4 as a New Index of Disease Severity in Atopic Dermatitis / 대한피부과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-4(IL-4) from the Th2 subset of lymphocytes has been known to have a key role in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis. Blood levels of IgE, often reflecting the severity of allergic diseases, are not always elevated in patients with atopic dermatitis due to its homocytotrophic characteristics. OBJECTIVE: We propose that IL-4 can substitute or at least complement the role of IgE as an index of disease severity of atopic dermatitis. METHODS: Eleven patients with atopic dermatitis and five normal controls were included in this study. Before treatment, we evaluated the clinical severity of atopic dermatitis by the method described elsewhere with some modification which employed extent, duration, and intensity of skin lesions. Based on this criteria, we divided patients into 'severe and mild groups. With blood samples drawn from patients and normal controls, we measured IL-4 and IgE values. After a treatment period of I to 2 months, when all of the patients became free of symptoms and signs of atopic dermatitis, patients in each group were re-evaluated for ehanges of IL-4 and IgE values. IL-4 values were determined with a Predicata human interleukin-4 kit from Genzyme diagnostics (Predicta IL-4 kit) and ELISA reader (CRES UV900, Biotek). IgE values were measured .with IMx total IgE assay system from Abott laboratories (model 8389-0). RESULTS: l. Of eleven patients, six were mild and five were severe in clinical severity. 2. IL-4 levels were decreased from the pre-treatment average value of 57.149+/- 40.079 pg/ml to a post-treatment average value of 32.072+/- 16.912 pg/ml (p0.1). CONCLUSION: We conclude that IL-4 is not only involved in the pathogenesis but can also be used as a main index of disease severity in atopic dermatitis especially when the clinical severity is more than mild.