Plasma Granzyme B as a Potential Biomarker of Pruritus Severity in Atopic Dermatitis

Open Access

Abstract

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder, which is marked by recurrent pruritus and epidermal barrier dysfunction. Granzyme B has been involved in inflammatory and tissue-remodeling and could be related to the severity of pruritus in AD. In this study the relationship between pruritus severity and plasma Granzyme B was assessed in AD patients. Methods & Materials: A group of 48 subjects was used, including 24 patients with AD and 24 seemingly healthy controls. Diagnosis of AD was made based on the Hanifin and Rajka criteria. The Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) index was used to measure the severity of disease, whereas a visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to measure pruritus severity. The concentration of Plasma Granzyme B was determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Granzyme B, VAS, and SCORAD scores were correlated with each other. Results: Plasma Granzyme B was moderately positively correlated with VAS score (r= +0.545) and significant (p=0.006) showing that the higher the Granzyme B levels in plasma, the higher the levels of pruritus. Conversely, the positive relationship between plasma Granzyme B and SCORAD had no statistical significance (r=+0.398, p=0.054). There was no significant relationship between age, sex, food allergy or prior personal history of atopy and granzyme B concentrations. Conclusion: Plasma Granzyme B had a significant relationship with patient-reported pruritus severity AD but not with overall severity of the clinical disease. This evidence indicates that Granzyme B could be a promising biomarker with regards to itch burden in AD. More longitudinal studies are recommended to confirm this association.