To verify the usefulness of moisturizers, a
multi-center study was conducted on patients with atopic dermatitis who visited
3 university hospitals in Japan between November 2009 and March 2012.
Thirty-seven patients with dry skin and stable symptoms who were receiving topical
and oral treatments were given moisturizers for 8 weeks. The moisturizers
contained components such as glycerin and seawater minerals in 3 forms: lotion,
emulsion, and cream. The moisturizers were chosen by physicians based on the
degree of dryness of the patients’ skin. In addition to observing the skin
condition of the entire body, high-frequency conductance as a parameter of skin
surface hydration and transepidermal
water loss (TEWL) in the buccal region and the medial side of the forearm
were measured, and those of the back were used for comparison. Furthermore,
stratum corneum levels of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) and thymus and
activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), both of which were objective parameters
for atopic dermatitis skin lesion severity, were analyzed using the tape stripping
method. At the beginning of the study, TSLP showed a correlation with skin
symptoms (dryness, itching) and high-frequency conductance, whereas TARC showed
a correlation with skin symptoms (erythema, dryness, itching) and TEWL. In
addition, a correlation was noted among TSLP, TARC, and itching. At the end of
the study, erythema, dryness, itching, TEWL，TSLP, and TARC were
significantly reduced, whereas high-frequency conductance was significantly
increased. The moisturizers clearly improved the dry skin symptoms of these patients
with atopic dermatitis and improved the physiology of their sensitive and
damaged skin. These findings also support the involvement of
cytokines/chemokines in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis lesions.