Raised β-endorphin serum levels in children with atopic dermatitis and pruritus

Abstract

Atopic dermatits (AD) is a pruritic cutaneous inflammatory condition. As pruritus and pain are very close symptoms, we determined the β-endorphin serum concentrations in 21 atopic children with pruritus (group A) and 20 children with healed AD without pruritus (group B). Twenty-five healthy school children were the control group. The β-endorphin serum concentrations (14.95 ± 2.75 pmol/l) in group A were statistically ( P < 0.001) elevated in our patients compared to controls (8.85 ± 2.39 pmol/l) whereas these in group B were not elevated (9.4 ± 2.46 pmol/l). We suggest that the elevated β-endorphin concentrations in atopic patients with pruritus confirm the hypothesis that there is an increased activity of their opioid system and that an opioid antagonist might block itching which is their major clinical symptom.