Longitudinal Association Of Atopic Dermatitis Progression And Keratin 6A

Atopic dermatitis is a common skin disease characterized by skin breakdown. Risk and severity have been associated with genetic variation especially with respect to the filaggrin gene, suggesting the importance of skin barrier function in atopic dermatitis pathogenesis. The keratin protein plays a role in epithelial health but its relationship with disease severity would benefit from further exploration. In this study, we evaluate the association between common keratin 6 variants and severity of atopic dermatitis over time using a Bayesian generalized linear mixed model to account for repeated measures. We identify groups of variants within which individual variants have similar effects on skin healing. Further assessment of the biological mechanisms by which these contribute to healing or breakdown of epidermis may inform treatment of atopic dermatitis.