Extrinsic and Intrinsic Factors in Atopic Dermatitis Upon Systemic Immune Modulation

A better understanding of the pathology of atopic dermatitis could lead to the development of new therapeutic strategies for this disease and contribute to better and more targeted disease management - an advantage for all patients with atopic dermatitis.

The PRI is a new bioinformatic analysis strategy that allows in-depth data analysis from flow cytometry with multiple variables. This facilitates the identification of meaningful T cell subpopulations, which are differentially abundant between two groups to predict responders and non-responders prior to dupilumab treatment.

Peripheral blood will be collected before, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 16 weeks after initiating the systemic treatment with dupilumab to identify recognition patterns/markers on the T cells. Therefore, a predefined multicolor flow cytometry panel was developed to analyse lineage, differentiation and activation markers.

Patients will receive a systemic therapy (dupilumab 600 mg loading dose, followed by 300 mg in two weeks intervals). Follow up visits will be performed every 3 months starting from the second visit (2nd visit will take place 4 weeks after initiating Dupilumab treatment).

The blood samples that are taken as part of this scientific study are pseudonymized in the research laboratories and stored for a period of 5 years after the end of this study or the publication of the results and destroyed.

Inclusion criteria

• Age 18 and above
• Diagnosis of atopic dermatitis for ≥1 year
• Inadequate response to treatment with topical medications
• Confirmed dupilumab treatment

Exclusion criteria

• Age below 18
• Known or suspected allergy or reaction to any component of the dupilumab formulation
• Known active allergic or irritant contact dermatitis that is likely to interfere with the assessment of the severity of AD
• Severe conjunctivitis or blepharitis