Atopic dermatitis. IV. The role of proteinase inhibitors in the pathogenesis, assessment of the severity and the prognosis of the disease

Examinations of 59 patients with atopic dermatitis have revealed increased content of the major inhibitors of proteinases, a relationship between the patients' age and alpha 2-macroglobulin level in both the patients and the reference group normal subjects. Detection of correlations between alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor and serum IgE as well as between C1 inactivator and C3c have lead to a supposition on the contribution of proteinase inhibitors in the modulation of immune reactions. Clinical features of atopic dermatitis in alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor deficiency and in various blood serum IgE levels are discussed.