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Arch Dis Child 2005;90:892-897 doi:10.1136/adc.2004.060673
  • Community child health, public health, and epidemiology

Effects of probiotics on atopic dermatitis: a randomised controlled trial

  1. S Weston1,
  2. A Halbert2,
  3. P Richmond1,
  4. S L Prescott1
  1. 1School of Paediatrics and Child Health Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
  2. 2Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth, Australia
  1. Correspondence to:
    Associate Professor Susan Prescott
    School of Paediatrics and Child Health Research, University of Western Australia, PO Box D184, Princess Margaret Hospital, Perth, WA 6840, Australia; susanpichr.uwa.edu.au
  • Accepted 17 November 2004
  • Published Online First 29 April 2005

Abstract

Background: The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of probiotics on moderate or severe atopic dermatitis (AD) in young children.

Methods: Fifty six children aged 6–18 months with moderate or severe AD were recruited into a randomised double blind placebo controlled trial in Perth, Western Australia; 53 children completed the study. The children were given a probiotic (1×109Lactobacillus fermentum VRI-033 PCC; Probiomics) or an equivalent volume of placebo, twice daily for 8 weeks. A final assessment at 16 weeks was performed.

Results: The main outcome measures were severity and extent of AD at the end of the study, as measured by the Severity Scoring of Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) index. The reduction in the SCORAD index over time was significant in the probiotic group (p = 0.03) but not the placebo group. Significantly more children receiving probiotics (n = 24, 92%) had a SCORAD index that was better than baseline at week 16 compared with the placebo group (n = 17, 63%) (p = 0.01). At the completion of the study more children in the probiotic group had mild AD (n = 14, 54%) compared to the placebo group (n = 8, 30%).

Conclusion: Supplementation with probiotic L fermentum VRI-003 PCC is beneficial in improving the extent and severity of AD in young children with moderate or severe disease.

Footnotes

  • The principal investigator was funded by a Channel Seven Telethon Research Fellowship. VRI BioMedical supplied funding for immunoglobulin E (IgE) analysis.

  • Competing interests: none declared

  • Ethics approval: The Princess Margaret Hospital for Children Ethics Committee granted approval for this trial.

  • Published Online First 29 April 2005

Responses to this article

  • Probiotics in atopic dermatitis - no evidence of effect
    • Lindsay J Shaw
    ADC published online October 24, 2005
  • Effects of probiotics on atopic dermatitis
    • Thierry Passeron,
    • Jean-Philippe Lacour
    ADC published online May 31, 2005

This Article

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