Monitoring of disease activity by measurement of inflammatory markers in atopic dermatitis in childhood

Allergy. 1997 Jul;52(7):765-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.1997.tb01236.x.

Abstract

Serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule (ELAM-1), and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) were measured in 20 patients with atopic dermatitis before and after 4 days' treatment with prednisolone p.o. as well as in 16 healthy, nonatopic controls. Before steroid treatment, patients with atopic dermatitis demonstrated significantly higher serum levels of sIL-2R, ICAM-1, and ECP than healthy controls (P < 0.001), whereas ELAM-1 levels were not different between the groups. After 4 days of steroid treatment, clinical improvement was associated with a decrease of sIL-2R (P < 0.003), ICAM-1 (P < 0.004), and ECP serum levels (P < 0.003), but ELAM-1 levels remained unchanged. Both serum ECP and sIL-2R levels were significantly correlated with disease severity before as well as after steroid treatment. Changes of sIL-2R concentrations were strongly related to the changes of ECP levels. In addition, changes of serum sIL-2R and ECP levels in percentage were correlated with clinical improvement. These results indicate that the determination of sIL-2R and ECP serum levels may be useful in monitoring disease activity in atopic dermatitis in childhood, especially in treatment trials.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Biomarkers
  • Blood Proteins / analysis
  • Child
  • Dermatitis, Atopic / drug therapy*
  • Dermatitis, Atopic / immunology
  • Drug Monitoring / methods*
  • E-Selectin / analysis
  • E-Selectin / blood
  • Eosinophil Granule Proteins
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / analysis
  • Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / blood
  • Male
  • Prednisolone / administration & dosage
  • Prednisolone / therapeutic use*
  • Receptors, Interleukin-2 / analysis
  • Receptors, Interleukin-2 / blood
  • Ribonucleases*
  • Severity of Illness Index

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Biomarkers
  • Blood Proteins
  • E-Selectin
  • Eosinophil Granule Proteins
  • Receptors, Interleukin-2
  • Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1
  • Prednisolone
  • Ribonucleases