In general, AD is diagnosed based on Hanifin and Rajka's diagnostic criteria or the UK working diagnostic criteria. The atopic status of study participants was evaluated clinically by (1) the presence of atopic symptoms including allergie rhinitis, asthma or hyperactive airway disease in patients, parents, and/or siblings, (2) measuring the concentrations of total and allergen-specific IgE in their peripheral blood, and/or (3) positive skin prick tests to common aeroallergens or food allergens. The severity of AD was assessed either clinically by validated disease scores, objective serum parameters such as serum chemokine levels, or physiological parameters such as nocturnal wrist movements. Quality of life (QoL) is assessed with the Cantonese version of the Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI). Although not a gold standard, ail assessment tools were compared against SCORAD. / Research Hypotheses or aims: (1) To investigate if AD severity as determined by a 12-month-severity score correlates with a validated acute severity score. The research aims to establish a chronic severity scores for local use in AD research. (2) To explore if correlations exist between objective and subjective symptoms. (3) To evaluate if quality of life (QoL) correlates with disease severity. (4) To assess if age and gender may affect quality of life. (5) To explore if serum markers (CTACK, IL-18, BDNF, and substance P.) correlate with disease severity or quality of life score. (6) To evaluate if urine LTE4 as a non-serum marker correlates with disease severity. (7) To evaluate if nocturnal wrist movements correlate with various clinical and laboratory markers. (8) To evaluate if skin hydration (SH) and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) correlate with severity and QoL. (9) In a final chapter, we give a number of clinical studies to illustrate the application of these methods in clinical research. / The objectives of the MD thesis are to explore various clinical scores, quality of life evaluation, laboratory tests, and mechano-physiological parameters as assessment tools for the evaluation of AD. The research hypotheses are that many aspects of the disease can be objectively measured by these new scores and markers. The application of some of these assessment tools in clinical trials will be described. In all of the studies reported, I am the principal investigator and the first author of the publications in indexed medical journals. / Kam Lun Ellis Hon. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-06, Section: B, page: 3419. / Thesis (M.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 192-213). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / School code: 1307.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:cuhk.edu.hk/oai:cuhk-dr:cuhk_344231 |
| Date | January 2008 |
| Contributors | Hon, K. L. E. (Kam Lun Ellis), Chinese University of Hong Kong Graduate School. Division of Medicine. |
| Source Sets | The Chinese University of Hong Kong |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, theses |
| Format | electronic resource, microform, microfiche, 1 online resource (214 leaves : ill.) |
| Rights | Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons “Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International” License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) |
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