Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of combined ozone hydrotherapy for the treatment of atopic dermatitis(AD). Methods A total of 60 patients with moderate or severe AD aged from 6 to 65 years were enrolled, and randomly and equally divided into a test group and a control group. Both the two groups were treated with oral levocetirizine capsules 5 mg once a day, topical tacrolimus ointment twice a day, and topical moisturizers. The test group was additionally treated with ozone hydrotherapy 3- 5 times every week. The treatment lasted 2 weeks. The severity scoring of atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) score, visual analog scale (VAS) score, dermatology life quality index (DLQI) or children′s dermatology life quality index (CDLQI) score were assessed before and after the treatment, and compared between the two groups. Enzyme?linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was performed to measure the levels of interleukin?4(IL?4)and nerve growth factor(NGF)in peripheral blood from the patients before and after the treatment. Results After 2?week treatment, the SCORAD scores, VAS scores and DLQI/CDLQI scores significantly decreased from 42.13 ± 16.03, 7.14 ± 2.12 and 14.92 ± 5.94 before the treatment to 27.3 ± 11.01, 2.23 ± 1.31 and 9.69 ± 4.17 respectively in the test group(all P<0.05), and from 43.36 ± 17.78, 6.45 ± 1.29 and 15.15 ± 5.40 to 39.65 ± 16.67, 3.32 ± 0.87 and 12.84 ± 5.37 respectively in the control group(all P<0.05). In addition, all the three scores were significantly lower in the test group than in the control group after 2?week treatment(all P<0.05). A significant decline was also observed in the levels of IL?4 and NGF in peripheral blood in the two groups at the end of the treatment compared with those at baseline(all P<0.05), and the magnitude of decline in IL?4 levels was significantly higher in the test group than in the control group(t=8.57, P<0.05), while that in NGF levels was insignificantly different between the two groups(t=9.51, P>0.05). Conclusion Combined ozone hydrotherapy can effectively and safely improve the condition of patients with AD, likely by decreasing the levels of IL?4 in peripheral blood.

Objective:To investigate associations of interleukin-31 (IL-31) and pruritus in atopic dermatitis (AD) with Meta-analysis.Methods:Materials were extracted from the citations listed in the following databases:PubMed,Science Direct,Web of Science and Cochrane.Key search terms included:atopic dermatitis,pruritus,and IL-31.The Meta-analysis was used to analyze the correlation between pruritws in AD and IL-31 expression level.Results:The Meta-analysis showed that serum IL-31 levels were higher in AD patients than those in the healthy controls.The levels of IL-31 were higher in severe AD patients than those in the mild and moderate AD patients.Moreover,a positive correlation between serum IL-31 levels and severity of pruritus was identified.Conclusion:Increased serum levels of IL-31 generally exist in the AD patients,and it may accelerate the pruritus in the AD patients.

Objective:To evaluate efficacy of combined therapy with ozonated water and oil on patients with tinea pedis.Methods:A total of 60 patients with tinea pedis were divided into 2 groups in a randomized and blinded test.Patients in a control group were treated with naftinfine hydrochloride and ketoconazole cream once a day.Patients in an ozone group were treated with ozonated water bath and then ozonated oil topical application once a day.Patients in the 2 groups were treated for 4 weeks.Clinical and laboratory data were collected for both groups at the end of the 1st week,the 2nd week,and the 4th week.The Pearson chi-square was performed to compare scores of the clinical signs and symptoms (CSS) and the mycological result between the 2 groups.Independent samples T-test was performed to compare the curative effect between the 2 groups.Results:After 4 weeks' treatment,6 patients were positive in the control group determined by mycological examination while 1 patient was positive in the ozone group,with no significant difference between the 2 groups (P＞0.05).Changes in CSS at the end of the 1st week,2nd week,and 4th week were obtained and showed no significant difference between the 2 groups at the 3 different time points (P＞0.05).No side effects were observed.Conclusion:Combination of ozonated water with oil is effective on treatment oftinea pedis and it shows no side effects.