Treatment of atopic dermatitis with alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor.

Alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor (alpha 1-PI), a serine protease inhibitor, was tested for its efficacy for the treatment of recalcitrant atopic dermatitis. Atopic dermatitis affects both children and adults and has no established etiology. We hypothesized that during inflammation there is an excess of serine proteases and a deficiency of their naturally occurring inhibitors at the local site of tissue injury, even though there is a normal serum level of serine protease inhibitors. This pilot study consisted of a nonblinded trial using alpha 1-PI at a concentration of 20 mg/mL in an aqueous solution in an alternate day schedule in conjunction with a 1% cream of alpha 1-PI (Stage I) and a 5% cream of alpha 1-PI for maintenance therapy (Stage II). Before enrollment in this trial all six patients failed to respond to high potency topical steroids. Safety was gauged by careful clinical monitoring of subjective complaints, objective findings of erythema, edema, and serial measurements of blood chemistries and complete blood counts. Wound healing was documented by serial photography. Written informed consent was obtained from each patient. All six patients showed significant clinical improvement within 6 to 21 days of initiation of alternate day therapy. Alpha 1-PI stopped pain, pruritus, and promoted tissue healing without scarring in all six patients. No adverse side effects of therapy were documented by clinical history, physical examination, or by blood studies after 120 days of therapy. Atopic dermatitis may be one example where inflammation is due to an imbalance of serine proteases and their naturally occurring inhibitors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)