2.1 | Study population
Patients with AD who came to the Dermatological Department of Kobe
University Hospital and agreed to participate in the study were
enrolled. AD was diagnosed in accordance with the criteria in the
Guidelines for Atopic Dermatitis.29, 30 Disease
activity in AD patients was assessed by EASI score. Moderate to severe
AD patients were mainly enrolled in the study and their median EASI
score was 18.5 (Table S1). Patients who had been treated with dupilumab,
oral corticosteroids, or immunosuppressants including cyclosporin and
those who had cancer were excluded from the study. HCs without current
or previous symptoms of AD who voluntarily agreed to participate in the
study were enrolled. Among the HCs, those with allergic disease
(allergic rhinitis, asthma, food allergy, allergic conjunctivitis, or
urticaria) were excluded from the study. Blood samples from HCs were
used for flow cytometric analysis. All participants provided verbal and
written informed consent for inclusion in the study.