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Skin barrier function in patients with completely healed atopic dermatitis
M Matsumoto1, H Sugiura, M Uehara
1H&B Research Laboratory, Central Research Institute, SUNSTAR Inc., 3-1, Asahi-machi, Takatsu, Osaka 569-1195, Japan.
Journal of Dermatological Science
|August 26, 2000
Summary
Individuals with healed atopic dermatitis do not have impaired skin barrier function. Even after 5 years symptom-free, their normal-appearing skin shows normal transepidermal water loss and water content.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Skin Physiology
Background:
- Atopic dermatitis is associated with skin barrier dysfunction.
- It remains unclear if individuals with atopic dermatitis have an intrinsic barrier defect in normal-appearing skin.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate skin barrier function in normal-appearing skin of patients with healed atopic dermatitis.
- To determine if atopic dermatitis involves an intrinsic skin barrier defect.
Main Methods:
- Assessed transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and stratum corneum water content.
- Studied normal-appearing skin on the upper back.
- Compared 16 completely healed atopic dermatitis patients (5+ years symptom-free) with 30 active atopic dermatitis patients and 39 healthy controls.
Main Results:
- Healed atopic dermatitis patients showed no significant difference in TEWL compared to healthy controls.
- Stratum corneum water content was also comparable between healed patients and controls.
- Active atopic dermatitis patients were not explicitly compared in this result summary, but the focus was on healed patients.
Conclusions:
- Skin barrier function is not disturbed in individuals with completely healed atopic dermatitis.
- This suggests that the intrinsic skin barrier may recover or is not fundamentally impaired in the long term.
- Atopic dermatitis may not be characterized by a permanent, intrinsic skin barrier defect in all individuals.