Pediatr Allergy Respir Dis.  2005 Sep;15(3):250-256.

Increased Serum Thymus and Activation-regulated Chemokine (TARC) Levels in Children with Atopic Dermatitis

• Song TW
• Kwon BC
• Choi SY
• Shin YH
• Lee KE
• Yang HS
• Kim KW
• Kim ES
• Sohn MH
• Kim KE

Abstract

PURPOSE
Thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) is responsible for the trafficking of Th2 lymphocytes into sites of allergic inflammation. We tested whether TARC is a useful marker for childhood atopic dermatitis (AD) and we evaluated age-related differences in the level of TARC. METHODS: Serum TARC level, serum total IgE level, total eosinophil count and specific IgE level were measured in 401 children. They were characterized as having IgE-mediated atopic dermatitis (n=157), non-IgE mediated atopic dermatitis (n=107), or as healthy control subjects (n=137). RESULTS: TARC levels in AD significantly were higher than those in healthy control subjects. (152.9+/-11.6 vs 56.7+/-5.2 pg/mL, P< 0.05) Serum TARC levels significantly correlated with disease severity (SCORAD index) both in children with IgE mediated AD (r=0.670, P< 0.05) and children with non-IgE mediated AD. (r=0.605, P< 0.05) Serum TARC levels in control subjects decreased in accordance with age. (r=-0.201, P< 0.05) CONCLUSION: Serum TARC might be a useful marker for disease severity both in children with IgE mediated AD and children with non-IgE mediated AD. Serum TARC levels in control subjects decreased in accordance with ages.

Keyword

Atopic dermatitis; Thymus and activation-regulated chemokine; chemokine; Scoring atopic dermatitis; IgE mediated atopic dermatitis; Non-IgE mediated atopic dermatitis

MeSH Terms

Chemokine CCL17*
Child*
Dermatitis, Atopic*
Eosinophils
Humans
Immunoglobulin E
Inflammation
Lymphocytes
Thymus Gland*
Chemokine CCL17
Immunoglobulin E