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CD4 + IL‐13 + cells in peripheral blood well correlates with the severity of atopic dermatitis in children
Author(s) -
La Grutta S.,
Richiusa P.,
Pizzolanti G.,
Mattina A.,
Pajno G. B.,
Citarrella R.,
Passalacqua G.,
Giordano C.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.363
H-Index - 173
eISSN - 1398-9995
pISSN - 0105-4538
DOI - 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2005.00733.x
Subject(s) - scorad , eosinophil , medicine , atopic dermatitis , immunology , peripheral blood , gastroenterology , immunoglobulin e , interleukin 4 , interleukin , antibody , cytokine , asthma , disease , dermatology life quality index
Background: In atopic dermatitis (AD) a Th1/Th2 imbalance has been reported, and interleukin (IL)‐13 seems to play a pivotal role in the inflammatory network. We tried to assess the correlation between the immunological marker CD4 + IL‐13 + and the clinical phase of extrinsic AD in children. Methods: Twenty children with AD were studied. Assessed parameters were: clinical severity (SCORAD index), total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE), blood eosinophil count, and percentage of CD4 + IFN γ + , CD4 + IL‐4 + , CD4 + IL‐13 + T cells. Determinations were carried out in the acute phase and after clinical remission were achieved. Ten nonatopic‐matched children served as controls. Results: At baseline, AD was mild in 25%, moderate in 50% and severe in 25% of children. In the acute phase a significant relationship between the eosinophil count and the SCORAD index was found ( P = 0.0001). Blood CD4 + IL‐4 + were significantly higher in the AD group (median 17.0, range: 13.7–21.4) than in controls (12.6, 6.4–17.2, P < 0.0001). CD4 + IL‐13 + cells in the AD group well correlated ( P = 0.0007) with SCORAD index. At remission, a significant correlation between SCORAD index and eosinophil count was found ( P < 0.03) and the percentage of CD4 + IL‐13 + cells globally decreased ( P < 0.0001), while no difference was found among SCORAD classes. Conclusion: This study confirms the Th2 profile predominance in the peripheral blood of children with AD, and evidences close relationship between the number of CD4 + IL‐13 + T cells and the disease's severity.