Characteristics of Atopic Dermatitis in a Post-childhood Atopic March Group

Lee, Hemin; Shin, Jung U; Lee, Jungsoo; Chu, Howard; Lee, Kwang Hoon

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Little knowledge is available on the characteristic differences between patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) with and without atopic march after childhood.
OBJECTIVE
To observe and compare the phenotypes of patients with AD in regards to atopic march tendency at a single point.
METHODS
We enrolled patients with AD aged between 10 and 30 years. The patients were divided into the atopic march and non-atopic march groups on the basis of an investigator-designed survey questionnaire, and their serum-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels or results of the skin prick test were compared.
RESULTS
In a total of 182 patients enrolled in the study, 93 patients with atopic march and 89 patients with non-atopic march were observed. When their serum-specific IgE levels or results of the skin prick test were compared between the two groups, there was no significant difference, except for a in the atopic march group. Analysis of AD severity, family history of allergic diseases, and total IgE levels between the two groups showed no statistically significant differences.
CONCLUSION
Our findings suggest that although no apparent phenotype characteristics could differentiate the presence of atopic march, the history of the patient's allergic diseases should be revalidated, and clinicians should watch out for future developments of atopic march when a patient shows a high-class sensitization rate to dust mite.