Intravenous immune globulin effects on serum‐soluble CD5 levels in atopic dermatitis

BACKGROUND: Intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) therapy has been tried in the treatment of atopic dermatitis. Recently, the presence of serum-soluble CD5 (ssCD5) in atopic dermatitis was reported. OBJECTIVE: IVIG effects on ssCD5 levels in atopic dermatitis were examined and the correlation of ssCD5 level changes with clinical and laboratory parameters were investigated. METHODS: IVIG therapy was tried on 40 atopic dermatitis and 17 recurrent spontaneous abortion patients. Five atopic dermatitis patients received normal saline as a placebo control group. The clinical and laboratory parameters were evaluated on day 0, 1, 7 and 21 after administering the IVIG therapy. RESULTS: With IVIG therapy, in atopic dermatitis, the ssCD5 level was 5.5 +/- 6.2 ng/mL before infusion (day 0), 15.2 +/- 12.1 ng/mL on day 1, 13.8 +/- 14.1 ng/mL on day 7, and 3.9 +/- 4.1 ng/mL on day 21. The clinical severity score was 350.5 +/- 120.3 on day 0, 420.4 +/- 174.8 on day 1, 250.0 +/- 121.2 on day 7, and 115.5 +/- 53.9 on day 21. White blood cell (WBC) counts and serum IgE levels showed a gradual decrease with IVIG infusions. Blood eosinophil fractions were 5.3 +/- 2.8% on day 0, 8.6 +/- 5.2% on day 1, 7.3 +/- 3.7% on day 7, and 6.8 +/- 4.0% on day 21. Changes in the total eosinophil count were insignificantly parallel with those of blood eosinophil fractions CONCLUSION: In atopic dermatitis, IVIG therapy increased the ssCD5 levels. Further studies concerning the exact role of ssCD5 are needed.