Lesional skin vascular endothelial growth factor levels correlate with the clinical severity in patients with cement allergic contact dermatitis

Abstract EN

Background : Allergic contact dermatitis to cement is a common occupational skin disease.

It is a delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction with Th1 type cytokine response.

Interferon-gamma (IFN-y) is recognized as the main effector cytokine in contact hypersensitivity (CHS).

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) might be involved in persisting erythematic and edema in eczematous skin.

Human VEGF is a multifactorial cytokine that not only promotes angiogenesis but also enhances vascular permeability and participates in chronic inflammation.

Patients and Methods : Thirty two building workers with chronic allergic contact dermatitis due to occupational exposure to cement and twenty healthy controls were included .

The severity of eczema was assessed using the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI).

VEGF and IFN- y in serum and skin lesions were measured in patients and healthy controls.

Results : Patients with cement allergic contact dermatitis showed significantly elevated levels of serum and lesional skin levels of VEGF compared to healthy controls (p = 0.005 and p = 0.001 respectively).They also had significantly higher serum and tissue IFN- y levels compared to controls (p = 0.007 and p = 0.001 respectively).

A significant positive correlation was demonstrated between skin tissue levels of VEGF and EASI score in patients with cement allergic contact dermatitis (r = 0.86, p = 0.001).

Conclusions : VEGF and IFN y might play a role in the pathogenesis of cement allergic contact dermatitis.

Lesional skin VEGF levels could be an indicator of the severity of eczema.