405 Atopic dermatitis patients have decreased epidermal innervation but increased neuronal substance p expression

Abstract

Severe pruritus in atopic dermatitis (AD) significantly impairs patients’ quality of life, primarily due to relentless itching. Sensory nerves in the epidermis are important in mediating sensation of itch, but there is conflicting evidence whether epidermal nerve density is increased or decreased in lesional skin of AD. Here we measured nerve length, branching, and neurotransmitter expression in epidermis of healthy controls and lesional and non-lesional skin of AD patients. Four millimeter punch biopsies were taken from skin of 8 healthy adult control patients and 8 lesional and non-lesional skin of patients with moderate-to-severe AD.