Abstract
We studied some disease markers in adult patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) receiving inpatient therapy. The subjects were 26 adult patients (age [mean±SD], 28.7±8.0 years) with AD who were admitted to our hospital. They were hospitalized for 13.0±3.5 days. The levels of serum cortisol, plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), serum thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), and serum lactate dehydrogenase(LDH), as well as the peripheral blood eosinophil counts were measured on the days of hospitalization and discharge. Moreover, the scores of the severity classification of AD by the Japanese Dermatological Association, itching visual analogue scale (VAS), Skindex-16, and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) were comparatively examined. The results showed significant increases in the cortisol and ACTH levels and significant decreases in the TARC and LDH levels; and in the scores of the severity classification of AD, Skindex-16, itching VAS and DLQI; the peripheral eosinophil counts did not change significantly. This study showed that cortisol, ACTH, TARC, and LDH levels and the scores of the severity classification of AD, Skindex-16, itching VAS and DLQI were useful as disease markers for patients hospitalized for a short period of time, such as 2 weeks.
