Serum TARC and CTACK concentrations in children with atopic dermatitis, allergic asthma, and urticaria.

BACKGROUND:   Thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC/CCL17) and cutaneous T cell-attracting chemokine (CTACK/CCL27) belong to the CC chemokine family, which plays an important role in immune-inflammatory processes. It has been demonstrated that serum concentrations of TARC and CTACK are increased in patients with various allergic diseases.

AIM:   To compare serum TARC and CTACK concentrations between children with different clinical manifestation of mast cell-dependent diseases, such as atopic allergy and urticaria.

METHODS:   A total of 87 children including 26 with mild to severe atopic dermatitis (AD), 43 children with controlled allergic asthma symptoms (treated and untreated with anti-inflammatory drugs), and 18 children with urticaria were recruited into the study. The control group consisted of 31 healthy non-atopic children.

RESULTS:   Serum concentrations of TARC and CTACK were significantly higher in children with AD than in healthy controls. No significant differences in serum concentrations of the chemokines between asthmatics, urticaria patients, and healthy controls were found. The severity of AD symptoms significantly correlated with serum CTACK and TARC concentrations.

CONCLUSION:   These findings, in conjunction with earlier data, indicate that differences may exist in circulating concentrations of TARC and CTACK, between patients with atopic allergy and urticaria.