title: The relationship between serum levels of total IgE, IL-18, IL-12, IFN-gamma and disease severity in children with atopic dermatitis.
abstract: Studies about the role of cytokines on the immunopathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD) are generally based on in vitro observations and this role has not been completely clarified yet. Serum levels of total IgE, IL-18, IL-12, IFN-gamma and the relationship between these parameters and disease severity, determined using the SCORAD index, in a group of atopic patients were investigated in this study. Serum levels of total IgE were measured by the nephelometric method and serum levels of IL-18, IL-12/p40 and IFN-gamma were measured by ELISA method. Serum levels of total IgE and IL-18 were found significantly higher in study group than in controls (P<.001). There was no statistically significant difference between patients and controls in respect of serum levels of IL-12/p40 (P = .227). A statistically significant relationship between SCORAD values and serum levels of total IgE (P < .001), IL-18 (P < .001), and IL-12/p40 (P < .001) was determined. These results show that serum levels of IL-18 can be a sensitive parameter that importantly correlates with clinical severity of AD, can play a role in the immunopathogenesis of AD, and furthermore may be used in the diagnosis and follow-up of the disease in addition to other parameters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, 46100 Kahramanmaras, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aral
authors.forename: Ozer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Arican
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gul
authors.forename: Sezai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sasmaz
authors.forename: Sumeyra Alkis
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kocturk
authors.forename: Ummugulsum
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kastal
authors.forename: Hasan Cetin
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Ekerbicer
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood*; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood*; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D020382:Interleukin-18; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D007371:Interferon-gamma