BLOOD PHAGOCYTE CHEMILUMINESCENCE IN CHILDREN WITH ATOPIC-DERMATITIS

Reactive oxygen species released by blood phagocytes during the respir atory burst may cause inflammatory tissue changes. We measured resting and stimulated (opsonized zymosan or phorbol myristate acetate) chemi luminescence of polymorphonuclear neutrophils on monocytes from 30 chi ldren with mild, moderate or severe atopic dermatitis and normal contr ols. Significant increases with respect to controls were observed in t he phorbol myristate acetated-stimulated neutrophil responses in child ren with severe disease and in the stimulated (opsonized zymosan or ph orbol myristate acetate) monocyte responses in children with moderate or severe disease. Although these changes do not appear to be an intri nsic defect of oxidative metabolism, the increased release of reactive oxygen species by these phagocytes may contribute to the pathogenesis and maintenance of atopic dermatitis.