Viewing humorous film improves nighttime wakening in children with atopic dermatitis.
BACKGROUND
Patients with atopic dermatitis suffered from night-time wakening, but the exact mechanism of it was not known. Ghrelin was involved in growth hormone secretion, regulation of appetite, anxiety,night-time wakening and stress.


METHODS
Thus salivary ghreli levels during the night were measured in 40 healthy children or 40 patients with atopic dermatitis with night-time wakening. Salivary ghrelin levels at 02:00 h were markedly elevated in patients with atopic dermatitis compared to those in healthy children.


RESULTS
Neither viewing control non-humorous film nor viewing humorous film had any effect on healthy children. In contrast, viewing humorous film improved night-time wakening and reduced elevation of salivary ghrelin levels in patients with atopic dermatitis, while viewing control film failed to do so.


CONCLUSIONS
Viewing humorous film may be useful in the treatment of night-time wakening in patients with atopic dermatitis.
Kimata
Hajime
H
Department of Allergy, Moriguchi Keijinkai Hospital, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. kimata-keijinkai@mkc.zaq.ne.jp
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin; D006801:Humans; D007845:Laughter / Q000523:psychology*; D027641:Laughter Therapy; D008297:Male; D009040:Motion Pictures; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D012463:Saliva; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications; D014851:Wakefulness
D054439:Ghrelin; D036361:Peptide Hormones