CHANGES IN SKIN SURFACE LIPID DURING THERAPY OF ATOPIC-DERMATITIS

Skin surface lipids were collected from patients with atopic dermatiti s during a study of mupirocin/hydrocortisone therapy. The total skin s urface lipid, free fatty acid and triglyceride fatty acid composition data were subjected to discriminant analysis, using the statistical pa ckage for social sciences (SPSS/PC+). Patients with atopic dermatitis, who are invariably colonised with Staphylococcus aureus, showed chang es in the lipid compositions before and after treatment. Skin lipids w hich moderate microbial growth may be suppressed in atopic dermatitis permitting the overgrowth of S. aureus.