Study: probiotic supplementation reduces atopic dermatitis

June 15, 2010 — A clinical study using probiotic mixture containing L. acidophilus DDS-1 and B. lactis UABLA-12 demonstrated significant clinical improvement in preschool children with atopic dermatitis (AD).

A clinical study to determine the impact of a mixture of L. acidophilus DDS-1 and B. lactis UABLA-12 on 90 preschool children (ages 1-3 years) with moderate to severe AD vs. a placebo demonstrated a 33.7 percent decrease in SCORAD (scoring of atopic dermatitis) versus 19.4 percent in the placebo group.

Other outcome measures included IDQOL (infant dermatitis quality of life 33 percent increase in probiotic group vs. 19 percent in placebo) and DFI (dermatitis family impact 34.4 percent in probiotic group vs. 23.8 percent in placebo).

This paper will be presented at the New York Academy of Sciences symposium, Probiotics: From Bench to Market, on June 11, 2010. The conference is designed to bring together scientists from industry, academia and government to discuss the emerging science of mechanisms behind the possible benefits of probiotic microorganisms in promoting human health and combating disease.

The study on probiotic supplementation on preschool children with AD was conducted by Dr. SV Gerasimov, MD, PhD from the Department of Pediatrics, Lviv National Medical University, Lviv, Ukraine. AD is a common inflammatory skin disorder that affects 15.6 percent of the population in Europe and 17.2 percent and is steadily increasing in frequency. The disease often occurs in early childhood and persists into adult life (over 60 percent of patients).

Current treatments include skin hydration, emollients, avoidance of allergens and irritants, use of antihistamines or topical corticosteroids. These treatments may alleviate symptoms but are often ineffective. The therapeutic use of probiotics has attracted considerable attention after publication of the hygiene hypothesis (Strachan DP. Hay fever, hygiene and household size. BMJ 1989;299:1259-60.)

Several clinical studies have demonstrated mild to complete resolution of AD following treatment with probiotics while others have suggested the effect is limited to select children with atopy.

This study was designed to determine the clinical efficacy of a new probiotic preparation and to determine the impact on peripheral lymphocytes.

The study involved 90 preschool children randomly divided into two groups to receive either the probiotic or the placebo. Parents administered the doses twice per day to provide a total of 10 billion CFU/gram of a combination of Lactobacillus acidophilus DDS-1 and Bifidobacterium lactis UABLA-12 with FOS. The primary outcome measure was percent change in SCORAD index at week 8.

Secondary outcomes were changes in IDQOL, DFI at weeks 2, 4, 8, frequency and amount of topical corticosterioid used and absolute number and percent of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets at week 8. Patients displayed a progressive decline in SCORAD indexes reaching significant difference at week 4 in both groups. However children receiving probiotics experienced a more rapid decline (summarized in table)

Patients with active AD had a reduced percentage of CD3 and CD8 peripheral lymphocytes and increased CD4 and CD25 counts. Hypothetically, the recovery from AD due to use of probiotics may be accompanied by normalization of CD3, CD4, CD8 and CD25 numbers. The study showed a correlation between reduction in CD4 and CD25 percent/absolute number and SCORAD values at week 8 in the probiotic group.

The use of a probiotic mixture containing L. acidophilus DDS-1, B. lactis UABLA-12 and fructooligosaccharide was associated with significant clinical improvement in children with AD, and corresponding lymphocyte subset changes in peripheral blood. The efficacy of probiotic therapy in adults with AD will need more investigation.

Source: UAS Laboratories, www.uaslabs.com