Cellular immunodeficiency in anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia.

By using in vitro methods of patients with anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (AED) was shown to have depressed lymphocyte function when compared with a control group. IgE levels of the AED group were elevated above those of a control group at the p=0.01 level of significance. In vivo methods utilizing the application of DNCB demonstrated, in addition, decreased delayed hypersensitivity reactions in the anhidrotic patients. Thus there appears to be some degree of cellular immune hypofunction in patients with AED, all of whom have demonstrated at some time a lichenified dermatitis clinically indistinguishable from atopic dermatitis.