An observational study on serum IgE levels in patients with atopic dermatitis

• Author Details:   
• Bhojani Amee Maganbhai
• Priyanshi Dangi ^*
• Anitta Elsa Oomman
• Kiran V Godse
• Sharmila Patil
• Anant Patil

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Introduction: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder characterized by pruritus, erythema, and recurrent flares, affecting nearly 20% of children and 3% of adults. The disease manifests as extrinsic (IgE-associated) or intrinsic (non-IgE-associated) AD, with IgE playing a central role in the pathogenesis of the extrinsic subtype. This study aims to assess the clinical utility of total serum IgE levels in (differentiating extrinsic and intrinsic) AD patients and evaluate its correlation with disease severity.
Materials and Methods: A longitudinal observational study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital's dermatology department between October 2022 and April 2024. A total of 57 patients with atopic dermatitis were studied. Serum IgE levels were measured, and disease severity was assessed using the Investigator’s Global Assessment (IGA), Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD), and Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) scores. A correlation analysis between IgE levels and disease severity scores was performed.
Results: Results showed that 63% of cases had extrinsic AD, with significantly elevated IgE levels (median: 677 IU/mL) compared to intrinsic AD (median: 69.15 IU/mL, p<0 r=0.99), r=0.96), r=0.99),>
Conclusion: The study highlights the predictive value of IgE in AD severity, exploring its role as a potential biomarker for disease monitoring and targeted therapy. The findings confirm that elevated IgE levels are strongly associated with increased disease severity, particularly in extrinsic AD. We recommend routine measurement of serum IgE levels in AD patients, particularly with extrinsic AD also further large-scale studies to validate the role of IgE as a biomarker are needed.

Keywords: Atopic dermatitis, Serum IgE, Eczema Area, Severity Index