A prospective study of atopic dermatitis managed without topical corticosteroids for a 6-month period.

Topical corticosteroids (TCS) are regarded as the mainstay treatment for atopic dermatitis (AD). As AD has a tendency to heal naturally, the long-term efficacy of TCS in AD management should be compared with the outcomes seen in patients with AD not using TCS. However, there are few long-term studies that consider patients with AD not using TCS.

Topical steroid addiction in atopic dermatitis.

The American Academy of Dermatology published a new guideline regarding topical therapy in atopic dermatitis in May 2014. Although topical steroid addiction or red burning skin syndrome had been mentioned as possible side effects of topical steroids in a 2006 review article in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, no statement was made regarding this illness in the new guidelines. This suggests that there are still controversies regarding this illness.

Topical clofibrate improves symptoms in patients with atopic dermatitis and reduces serum TARC levels: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study.

Background: Though topical corticosteroids (TC) are used for treating atopic dermatitis (AD) as a standard, there exist several problems including topical steroid addiction (TSA) or Red skin syndrome. Moreover, the number of patients, who refrain from using TC because of steroid-phobia, is increasing. Recently, topical PPAR alpha ligand application has been reported to improve experimental allergic dermatitis.

Modulation of fecal polyamines by viewing humorous films in patients with atopic dermatitis.

Background/objective: Alteration of intestinal flora was involved in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis. Patients with atopic dermatitis were less colonized with Lactobacilli or Bifidobacterium, whereas they were more colonized with Staphylococcus aureus or Enterobacteria. Consequently, fecal levels of bacterial metabolite (polyamines) were reduced.

Ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) fiber compared to cotton underwear in the treatment of childhood atopic dermatitis: a double-blind randomized study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of underwear made of ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) fiber in children with atopic dermatitis (AD). Twenty-one AD children (11 EVOH group and 10 control group) were studied for 4 weeks. Their AD severity based on the Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) score and physiological functions were assessed.

Viewing a humorous film decreases IgE production by seminal B cells from patients with atopic eczema.

Objective: Sperms induced IgE production by seminal B cells from patients with atopic eczema via interaction of B cells with galectin-3 on sperms. We studied the effect of viewing a humorous film on IgE production by seminal B cells cultured with sperms.

Methods: Twenty-four male patients with atopic eczema viewed a humorous film (Modern Times, featuring Charlie Chaplin).

Short-term improvement of erectile dysfunction by viewing humorous films in patients with atopic dermatitis.

Introduction: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder characterized by eczema, pruritus and cutaneous hyperreactivity to allergic triggers. We and others have reported that psychogenic stress aggravates these symptoms, while viewing humorous films alleviates them. We have also found that many AD patients suffer from erectile dysfunction (ED).

Elevation of testosterone and reduction of transepidermal water loss by viewing a humorous film in elderly patients with atopic dermatitis.

The effect of viewing a humorous film on salivary testosterone levels and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) values on the back of the neck in 36 elderly healthy people (36 male, mean 70 years) and 36 elderly patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) (36 male, mean age 70 years) were studied. Salivary testosterone levels were decreased while TEWL values were increased in elderly patients with AD compared to those in elderly healthy people. Viewing a humorous film (The Best Bits of Mr.

Laughter elevates the levels of breast-milk melatonin.

Objective: Patients with atopic eczema (AE) often complain of sleep disturbance. Melatonin is involved in sleep, and the levels of blood melatonin in patients with AE are decreased in comparison to healthy subjects. However, the levels of breast-milk melatonin had only been reported in healthy subjects.

Viewing humorous film improves nighttime wakening in children with atopic dermatitis.

Introduction: Patients with atopic dermatitis suffered from night-time wakening, but the exact mechanism of it was not known. Ghrelin was involved in growth hormone secretion, regulation of appetite, anxiety,night-time wakening and stress.

Methods: Thus salivary ghreli levels during the night were measured in 40 healthy children or 40 patients with atopic dermatitis with night-time wakening.

Increase in dermcidin-derived peptides in sweat of patients with atopic eczema caused by a humorous video.

Objective: Dermcidin (DCD)-derived peptide is an antimicrobial peptide produced by the sweat glands. However, the levels of DCD-derived peptide in sweat were decreased in patients with atopic eczema (AE). The effect of viewing a humorous video on the levels of DCD-derived peptide was studied.

Improvement of atopic dermatitis and reduction of skin allergic responses by oral intake of konjac ceramide.

Although topical application of ceramide is effective in the treatment of atopic dermatitis, its effect is transient. Thus, the effect of oral intake of ceramide on atopic dermatitis was studied. Two groups of 25 children with moderate atopic dermatitis, who were allergic to house dust mite took either milk sugar (control group) or 1.

Emotion with tears decreases allergic responses to latex in atopic eczema patients with latex allergy.

Objective: Allergic responses are enhanced by stress, whereas they are reduced by laughter in atopic eczema patients. Emotion with tears decreases plasma IL-6 levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Thus, the effect of emotion with tears on allergic responses in patients with atopic eczema was studied.

Prevalence of fatty liver in non-obese Japanese children with atopic dermatitis.

Fatty liver in non-obese Japanese children was observed in 3.2% of non-atopic children and in 17.6% of patients with atopic dermatitis in 2000.

Cholesterol selectively enhances in vitro latex-specific IgE production in atopic dermatitis patients with latex allergy.

Effect of cholesterol on in vitro latex-specific IgE production by mononuclear cells from atopic dermatitis patients with latex allergy. Cholesterol enhanced latex-specific IgE production in a dose-dependent fashion, and maximal enhancement was achieved at 1 microg/ml. In contrast, cholesterol had no effect on latex -specific IgA or IgG4 production.

Laughter counteracts enhancement of plasma neurotrophin levels and allergic skin wheal responses by mobile phone-mediated stress.

Laughter caused by viewing a comic video (Rowan Atkinson's The Best Bits of Mr. Bean) reduced the plasma nerve growth factor, neurotrophin-3 levels, and allergic skin wheal responses in patients with atopic dermatitis, whereas viewing a nonhumorous video (weather information) failed to do so. In contrast, stress induced by writing mail on a mobile phone enhanced the plasma nerve growth factor, neurotrophin-3 levels, and allergic skin wheal responses.

Passive smoking elevates neurotrophin levels in tears.

The effect of passive smoking on levels of neurotrophin in tears was studied in normal subjects or patients with atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC). Basal levels of neurotrophins, nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) and NT-4, in tears were significantly higher in AKC patients than those in normal subjects. Passive smoking had no effect on levels of neurotrophin in tears of normal subjects, while it elevated levels of NGF, BDNF, NT-3 and NT-4 in tears of AKC patients.

Differential effects of laughter on allergen-specific immunoglobulin and neurotrophin levels in tears.

Laughter after viewing a humorous video "Modern Times" decreased Japanese cedar pollen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) and IgG4 levels, while it enhanced Japanese cedar pollen-specific IgA levels in tears of patients with atopic keratoconjunctivitis, while viewing a nonhumorous weather information video did not do so. Laughter after viewing "Modern Times" also decreased nerve growth factor levels without affecting neurotrophin-3 levels in tears of those patients, while viewing a weather information video did not. These results indicate that laughter decreased allergen-specific IgE and IgG4 production and increased allergen-specific IgA production with concomitant decrease in nerve growth factor.

Effect of viewing a humorous vs. nonhumorous film on bronchial responsiveness in patients with bronchial asthma.

The effect of viewing a humorous film on bronchial responsiveness to methacholine [methacholine study: 20 healthy participants and 20 patients with house dust mite (HDM)-allergic bronchial asthma (BA)] or to epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg; EGCg study: 15 normal participants and 15 EGCg-allergic BA patients) was studied. At baseline, bronchial challenge test to methacholine (20 normal participants and 20 HDM-allergic BA patients) or EGCg (15 normal participants and 15 EGCg-allergic BA patients) were performed. After 2 weeks, patients and healthy participants were randomly assigned to watch a humorous or a nonhumorous film.

Effect of exposure to volatile organic compounds on plasma levels of neuropeptides, nerve growth factor and histamine in patients with self-reported multiple chemical sensitivity.

Plasma levels of substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide and nerve growth factor, but not histamine, were elevated in patients with self-reported multiple chemical sensitivity (sMCS). Exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOC) increased plasma levels of all parameters in these patients, while it had no effect in normal subjects or patients with atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome (AEDS). Exposure to VOC also enhanced skin wheal responses induced by histamine in patients with sMCS, while it failed to do so in normal or AEDS subjects.