Serum eosinophil derived neurotoxin may reflect more strongly disease severity in childhood atopic dermatitis than eosinophil cationic protein.

Serum levels of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) have been shown to be a good parameter of the disease severity of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). However, the relationship between the disease severity and the eosinophil derived neurotoxin (EDN) has not been established in AD patients. The purpose of this study is to examine serum ECP and EDN levels in relation to the disease severity in AD children. Serum ECP and EDN levels were assessed in relation to the skin scores in 34 AD children (18 boys and 16 girls; age 0.6 to 7years: mean+/-S.D. 2.2+/-1.9) and six non-atopic control children (three boys and three girls; age 1 to 3years: mean+/-S.D. 1.7+/-0.9). Serum ECP and EDN levels of the patients with AD were significantly increased compared with the non-atopic controls. Serum EDN levels of the patients were also related to the disease severity. The skin scores were more significantly correlated with serum EDN levels than ECP levels. We concluded that serum EDN may reflect more strongly disease severity as eosinophilic activation in AD children than serum ECP.