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Is the effect of probiotics on atopic dermatitis confined to food sensitized children?
Author(s) -
Sistek D.,
Kelly R.,
Wickens K.,
Stanley T.,
Fitzharris P.,
Crane J.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
clinical and experimental allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.462
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1365-2222
pISSN - 0954-7894
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2006.02485.x
Subject(s) - scorad , lactobacillus rhamnosus , atopic dermatitis , medicine , placebo , probiotic , confidence interval , randomized controlled trial , gastroenterology , dermatology , dermatology life quality index , biology , bacteria , disease , pathology , alternative medicine , genetics
Summary Background Probiotics have previously been shown to reduce the severity of atopic dermatitis (AD) in infants and children. Objective To examine the effect of two probiotics ( Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacteria lactis ) on established AD in children. Subjects and methods Atopic children with current dermatitis received 2 × 10 10 colony forming units/g of probiotic ( n =29) or placebo ( n =30). Both were given daily as a powder mixed with food or water. SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD; developed by the European Task Force on Atopic Dermatitis) a measure of the extent and severity of AD, was assessed at baseline, 2 and 12 weeks after starting treatment and 4 weeks after treatment was discontinued. Results SCORAD geometric mean score at baseline was 26.0 (21.9–30.8) in the probiotic group and 35.1 (28.9–42.8) in the placebo group ( P =0.02). After adjustment for these between‐group baseline differences there was no significant improvement in AD at 12 weeks, SCORAD geometric mean ratio: 0.80 (95% confidence level (CI) 0.62–1.04, P =0.10). Among the food sensitized children, there was an improvement in those treated with probiotics, SCORAD geometric mean ratio: 0.73 (95% CI 0.54–1.00, P =0.047). Conclusion In this study a combination of Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacteria lactis improved AD only in food sensitized children.