Table 2.
Comparison of skin barrier functions of the severe and non-severe radiodermatitis group.
| Parameter | Severe group (n = 3) | Non-severe group (n = 6) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epidermis functions | Water content (a.u.) | 54.3 (37.3–74.0) | 44.3 (36.7–66.3) | 0.571 |
| Sebum content (μg) | 8 (4–40) | 3 (1–7) | 0.143 | |
| Skin pH | 4.79 (4.58–5.61) | 6.18 (4.37–7.39) | 0.393 | |
| TEWL (g/h/m2) | 11.77 (2.79–33.04) | 9.65 (0.51–54.84) | 1.000 | |
| Skin microbiota Staphylococcus species level | ||||
| S. aureus | 0.048 (0.016–0.105) | 0.226 (0.137–0.279) | 0.024 | |
| S. epidermidis | 0.043 (0.013–0.048) | 0.147 (0.015–0.326) | 0.095 | |
| S. capitis | 0.066 (0.007–0.266) | 0.092 (0.000–0.247) | 1.000 | |
| S. caprae | 0.017 (0.006–0.041) | 0.041 (0.009–0.094) | 0.262 | |
| S. hominis | 0.002 (0.001–0.002) | 0.017 (0.003–0.541) | 0.024 | |
| Others | 0.820 (0.543–0.957) | 0.368 (0.216–0.558) | 0.048 | |
| Dermis structure | Dermal echogenicity (%) | 18.38 (18.12–19.36) | 24.94 (23.64–35.06) | 0.036 |
| SLEB | ||||
| Grade 1 | 1 (33.3%) | 3 (60.0%) | 0.286 | |
| Grade 2 | 0 (0.0%) | 2 (40.0%) | ||
| Grade 3 | 2 (66.7%) | 0 (0.0%) | ||
Continuous variables were compared using the Mann–Whitney U test and are presented as the median (range). Nominal variables were compared using the Fisher's exact test and are presented as n (%). a.u., arbitrary units; TEWL, trans-epidermal water loss; SLEB, subepidermal low echogenic band; S. aureus, Staphylococcus aureus; S. epidermidis, Staphylococcus epidermidis; S. capitis, Staphylococcus capitis; S. caprae, Staphylococcus caprae; S. hominis, Staphylococcus hominis.