Will my child develop atopy… There is a predictive method that can be known at 2 months of age [건강한 가족]

Hospital Report Samsung Seoul Hospital Pediatrics Department Professor Kang-Mo Ahn’s team

A way to predict the risk of developing atopic dermatitis in advance even if there are no outward symptoms at 2 months of age has opened. It is through the analysis of the skin lipid layer, a biomarker related to atopic dermatitis, which has recently been known.

A joint research team led by Professor Kang-Mo Ahn and Ji-Hyun Kim of the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescents at Samsung Seoul Hospital, and Professors Donald Leung and Yevgeny Berdysev of National Jewish Health, USA, analyzed the correlation between skin lipid composition and cytokine changes and the occurrence of atopic dermatitis.

The stratum corneum of the skin is taped at 2 months of age, and changes in the lipid composition are monitored to predict the onset of atopic dermatitis before the age of 2 years. This study was introduced at the American Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology held in the United States at the end of last month, drawing great attention from the academic world.

The research team collected the stratum corneum of the skin with tape from the arms of 111 2-month-old infants with no skin abnormalities, analyzed the skin lipid composition and cytokines, and followed up until 24 months of age. As a result, it was observed that skin lipid composition and cytokine changes in the skin were already occurring at 2 months after birth, before atopic dermatitis occurred.

In particular, if there is a family history of allergy, IL-13 and 26:1 unsaturated sphingomyelin in the skin are high, and protein-binding ceramide (O30:0(C20S)-CER) is low, the possibility of atopic dermatitis is up to 54 times. appeared to rise. This study is the first in the world to identify a unique lipid biomarker for atopic dermatitis skin. After collecting the stratum corneum through a non-invasive method, the combined analysis of family history, skin lipid change, and cytokine expression can dramatically increase the predictive power of future atopic dermatitis.

The research team said, “Prediction of the occurrence of atopic dermatitis is very important in terms of reducing patient suffering and reducing medical burden through early intervention.” In the future, it is expected to open the foundation for customized treatment that considers individual characteristics.”

Meanwhile, this study was published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (IF=14.29) and was supported by the Ministry of Environment and the Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute.

Seonmi Kwon (kwon.sunmi@joongang.co.kr)