Soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) in atopic dermatitis.

The serum levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, in 88 patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), 29 patients with eczematous dermatitis (ED) and in 33 healthy controls. The sICAM-1 levels were significantly higher in both AD and ED patients than in normal individuals. The longitudinal study of patients with AD revealed a significant decrease in the levels of sICAM-1 (P < 0.05) with improvements in disease activity. In AD patients, the sICAM-1 level correlated significantly with the total numbers of leukocytes and lymphocytes (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively), whereas no such correlation was found in patients with ED. Our studies show that the levels of sICAM-1 may be a useful immunologic parameter for monitoring disease activity in some of the individuals with AD.