Clinical Trial: Explore the Mechanisms of Pruritus in Bullous Pemphigoid Patients During Remission
Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Unknown status
Study Type: Observational
Official Title: Explore the Mechanisms of Pruritus in Bullous Pemphigoid Patients During Remission
Brief Summary: The following is the investigators hypothesis regarding the pruritus of BP patients during remission. Anti-BP 180 IgE binds to dermal mast cells, inducing their activation and secretion of mediators after being cross-linked by antigens. Among mediators, histamine directly induces itching and vessel changes, whereas tryptase potentiates itching and vessel changes in an indirect way through the actions of neuropeptides. Tryptase stimulates neurons which in turn secrete neuropeptides.
Detailed Summary:
Bullous pemphigoid(BP) is a cutaneous autoimmune blister disease. In addition to blisters formation which disrupt skin barrier and result in high mortality, erythematous edematous plaques often develop on skin of bullous pemphigoid patients accompanied with intensive pruritus. As regard with the pathogenesis of BP, it is generally accepted that anti-BP180 IgG is the most important pathogenic factor for blister formation, whereas anti-BP180 IgE which binds to mast cells and induces their activation results in erythematous edematous plaques. Quite a few bullous pemphigoid patients suffer from intensive pruritus even during clinical remission period that means blisters or plaques are no longer on their skin. The reasons why pruritus persists during this period are still obscure.
Pruritus is the most common symptom of cutaneous diseases. Our understanding regarding pathophysiology of "pruritus" has made a remarkable progress in the past decade. Now, it is known that there are various kinds of substances that induce pruritus (pruritus mediators) and different combinations of these mediators are involved in different itching diseases. Moreover, neuropeptides secreted by stimulated neurons can in turn induce neurogenic inflammation.
The following is our hypothesis regarding the pruritus of BP patients during remission. Anti-BP 180 IgE binds to dermal mast cells, inducing their activation and secretion of mediators after being cross-linked by antigens. Among mediators, histamine directly induces itching and vessel changes, whereas tryptase potentiates itching and vessel changes in an indirect way through the actions of neuropeptides. Tryptase stimulates neurons which in turn secrete neuropeptides.
Thus, in order to test our hypothesis, the strategy of this study is to com
Sponsor: National Taiwan University Hospital
Current Primary Outcome:
Original Primary Outcome:
Current Secondary Outcome:
Original Secondary Outcome:
Information By: National Taiwan University Hospital
Dates:
Date Received: December 21, 2010
Date Started: December 2010
Date Completion:
Last Updated: December 21, 2010
Last Verified: December 2010
