Aims: Clinical factors and data from recent cases of atopic dermatitis (AD) (with or without ocular complications) and non-AD cases were examined to evaluate the mechanism of atopic ocular complications.
Methods: IgE-RAST for eight allergens including rice, egg, and mite and serum total IgE were measured in 216 patients with AD (70 ocular type, 146 non-ocular type) and 69 non-AD individuals. Tear histamine and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) levels were also measured.
Results: The serum levels of IgE were significantly increased in AD patients with ocular complications compared with those without ocular complications. The positive rates of IgE-RAST for rice and wheat were significantly higher in ocular type AD than in non-ocular type AD. In ocular type AD, serum IgE was significantly increased in patients with cataract compared with that in those without cataract. Tear histamine and LTB4 levels in AD patients with ocular complications showed significant elevations compared with those in patients with pure AD and controls.
Conclusions: These results suggest that ocular type AD belongs to the most severe end of the spectrum of AD, and that some food antigens may contribute to the pathogenesis of severe AD resulting in ocular complications.