Baseline clinical characteristics of study participants and comparisons between placebo and probiotic groups
| Probiotic, n = 28 | Placebo, n = 28 | |
|---|---|---|
| *Severity of AD defined according to the SCORAD index: mild <25, moderate 25 to <50, severe >50.19,21 | ||
| There were no significant differences between the groups. | ||
| Gender | ||
| Male | 14 (50) | 16 (57) |
| Female | 14 (50) | 12 (43) |
| Age (months), mean (SD) | 11.5 (4.2) | 10.3 (3.23) |
| SCORAD index, mean (SD) | 40.8 (6.8) | 44.0 (10.4) |
| Modified SCORAD, mean (SD) | 32.0 (5.2) | 34.4 (8.5) |
| Severity of AD* | ||
| Moderate | 26 (93) | 21 (75) |
| Severe | 2 (7) | 7 (25) |
| DFIQ score, mean (SD) | 8.6 (4.5) | 9.7 (4.9)) |
| Corticosteroid potency | ||
| None, n (%) | 3 (11) | 4 (14) |
| Mild, n (%) | 11 (40) | 10 (36) |
| Moderate, n (%) | 4 (14) | 5 (18) |
| Potent, n (%) | 10 (36) | 9 (32) |
| Total IgE, mean (SD) | 31.8 (4.3) | 35.7 (5.95) |
| RAST to food mix | ||
| Elevated, n (%) | 20 (71) | 20 (71) |
| Negative, n (%) | 8 (29) | 8 (29) |
| Parental allergy | ||
| Yes, n (%) | 27 (96) | 26 (93) |
| No, n (%) | 1 (4) | 2 (7) |
| Regularly eat yoghurt | ||
| Yes, n (%) | 16 (57) | 12 (43) |
| No, n (%) | 12 (43) | 16 (57) |
| Exposure to day care | ||
| Yes, n (%) | 5 (18) | 7 (25) |
| No, n (%) | 23 (82) | 21 (75) |