아토피피부염 환자에서 집먼지진드기에 대한 탈감작 요법의 치료효과

Abstract

BACKGROUND : Exposure to airborne allergens exacerbates symptoms of atopic dermatitis in sensitive patients and immunotherapy specific for an allergen can reduce the allergen-specific immune response.

OBJECTIVES : We attempted to evaluate the therapeutic effect of hyposensitization therapy using Dermatophagoides farinae, the most abundant and important inhalant allergen in Korea, in patients with atopic dermatitis.

METHODS : Twenty-five patients with atopic dermatitis who had severe dermatitis, positive to the skin test and had specific antibodies to D. farinae were treated with hyposensitization therapy using D. farinae for 1 year. The therapeutic effect was evaluated by clinical severity (erythema, excoriation, scale, pruritus, lichenification), D. farinae specific IgE, IgG, IgG4, skin test to D. farinae, total IgE, eosinophil count and soluble VCAM-1.

RESULTS : There was slight improvement in clinical severity and decrease in eosinophil count and D. farinae specific IgE, but no significant difference in skin test to D. farinae, total IgE, D. farinae specific IgG, IgG4 and soluble VCAM-1 after hyposensitization therapy with D. farinae.

CONCLUSION : The efficacy of hyposensitization therapy may be useful in some of patients with atopic dermatitis. Further new effective immunotherapeutic approaches to atopic dermatitis and searching for laboratory markers of predicting disease severity will be needed.