Sahiner UM, et al. - Researchers sought to determine the risk factors predictive of the severity of atopic dermatitis (AD) and the association of serum basal tryptase (sBT) levels with AD and disease severity. Based on the presence (AD+/atopy+ [n = 55]) or absence (AD+/atopy− [n = 30]) of skin-prick test positivity, analysis of children, ages 0.5 to 3.0 years, with AD (n = 85) was carried out, in comparison with an age- and sex-matched control group (n = 82). They found that, patients with moderate-severe objective scoring atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) index scores vs those with mild disease had higher median sBT levels. An increased risk of moderate-severe AD (objective SCORAD index) was observed in an independent association with an sBT level of ≥3.9 ng/mL in multivariate logistic regression analysis. This is the first report suggestive of the possible importance of sBT levels in the AD disease process and association with the disease severity and atopy.