Clinical trial NCT03471819: Serotonin Levels in Atopic Dermatitis Patients
Official title: Serotonin Levels in Atopic Dermatitis Patients and Its Relation to Disease Severity
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: UNKNOWN
Conditions: Dermatologic Disease
Keywords: Atopic Dermatitis
serotonin
Lead sponsor: Assiut University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2018-03-21
Enrollment: 50
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 2
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Observational model: CASE_CONTROL
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: 50 patients with the clinical diagnosis of AD and 30 age and sex-matched apparently healthy volunteers will be included in this study

Brief summary: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic pruritic inflammatory skin disease of unknown aetiology. Global prevalence rates range from 1%-20%.AD is often worsened by stress and anxiety.Plasma levels of 5-HT were found to be positively correlated with the disease severity.

Detailed description: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic pruritic inflammatory skin disease of unknown aetiology. The condition typically starts in infancy with changing presentations over the years. Incessant pruritus is the main symptom.

Main findings include: xerosis, eczematous lesions, Ig E reactivity, relapsing course and personal or family history of other atopic diatheses .Global prevalence rates range from 1%-20%.

AD is often worsened by stress and anxiety. Moreover, a mutual relationship between the neuroendocrine system and the immune system; including the skin has been suggested. Different mediators are responsible for this relation. Serotonin is considered as one of the most important responsible mediators (5-hydroxy-tryptamine; 5-HT) .

Patients with AD have been reported to have high serum levels of 5-HT. Moreover, plasma levels of 5-HT were found to be positively correlated with the disease severity. However and to the best of the investigators' knowledge, no studies have addressed this point in Egypt.

Treatment of AD includes: Elimination of triggers, emollients, topical therapies, and systemic modalities including SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) and TCAs (Tricyclic Antidepressants) in certain cases. SSRIs block the reuptake of serotonin, thus increase the concentration of serotonin within synaptic clefts. The mechanism of action in relation to pruritus is not understood, but SSRIs have been used to treat atopic dermatitis associated pruritus

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* All patients with the clinical diagnosis of AD.
* Age more than 2

Exclusion Criteria:

* Age less than 2 years.
* Any concomitant systemic or dermatological disease.
* Patients on any topical or systemic treatment during the past one month.
* Uncooperative patients.
* Refusal to participate

Primary outcomes:
measure: SCORAD
timeFrame: one month
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Beck's depression score (Arabic version)
timeFrame: one month
Other outcomes:
Locations:
Study officials:
affiliation: Assiut University
name: Dalia A Negm, Lecturer
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Abdel-Hafez K, Abdel-Aty MA, Hofny ER. Prevalence of skin diseases in rural areas of Assiut Governorate, Upper Egypt. Int J Dermatol. 2003 Nov;42(11):887-92. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-4362.2003.01936.x.
citation: Gooderham MJ, Hong HC, Eshtiaghi P, Papp KA. Dupilumab: A review of its use in the treatment of atopic dermatitis. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2018 Mar;78(3 Suppl 1):S28-S36. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2017.12.022.
citation: Afzal R, Shim WS. Glucosylsphingosine Activates Serotonin Receptor 2a and 2b: Implication of a Novel Itch Signaling Pathway. Biomol Ther (Seoul). 2017 Sep 1;25(5):497-503. doi: 10.4062/biomolther.2016.207.