Identification of Epidermal Signatures in Patients With Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis is a skin disorder with an itchy, red skin rash. This may be because certain proteins are increased in the skin of AD patients. The increased expression of these proteins play an important role in the development of AD and may increase the risk for persons with AD to get skin infections and allergies. There are very few non-invasive ways to diagnose and monitor the development and progression of atopic dermatitis. The goal of this study is to develop laboratory tests, done on skin samples collected by tapy stripping, that can be used for early detection and monitoring the response to treatment for a variety of skin diseases, including atopic dermatitis.