The present study was undertaken to investigate whether contact sensitivity was decreased or not in patients with atopic dermatitis, and to investigate phagocytic function of neutrophils in patients with atopic dermatitis.
1. Dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB), a compound which uniformly induce hypersensitivity in normal individuals, had been used in the present study to investigate cutaneous anergy in 16 patients with atopic dermatitis.
Sensitizing does of DNCB (2,000 microgram) was applied and examined-at 7th and 14th day for a spontaneous flare.
In the absence of spontaneous flare, challenge dose (50 microgram) was reapplied and examined.
Seven of the 16 cases (43.8%) had positive reaction to DNCB: These result showed decreased contact sensitivity in patients with atopic dermatitis which suggested some defect in the cell-mediated immunity in patients with atopic dermatitis.
2. There were some evidence that susceptibility to certain infection was increased in patients with atopic dermatitis.
For investigating killing function in phagocytosis of neutrophils in patients with atopic dermatitis, nitroblue tetrazolium dye reduction (NBT) and stimulated NBT test had performed in 35 cases of atopic dermatitis and 20 cases of heal-thy control.
1) There was no significant difference in the mean percentage and absolute number of NBT positive neutrophils between whole group of atopic dermatitis (8.4±4.9%, 301.±225.6) and control group (6.9±2.9%, 246.2+143.8).
2) The mean percentage and absolute number of stmulated NBT positive neutrophils in whole group of atopic dermatitis (19.6±7,3 %, 702.1±377.2)did not differ significantly from control group (22.7±5.3%, 812.2±382.2%)
3) There was no significant difference in the mean value of NBT and stimulated NBT test in. comparing the mild groud, moderate group. and severe group with control group.
These results suggested that killing function in phagocytosis of neutrophilsin patients with atopic dermatitis was not impaired.
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