Probiotic effects on faecal inflammatory markers and on faecal IgA in food allergic atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome infants.

Abstract

Probiotic bacteria are proposed to alleviate intestinal inflammation in infants with atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome (AEDS) and food allergy. In such infants we investigated effects of probiotic bacteria on faecal IgA, and on the intestinal inflammation markers tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), alpha1-antitrypsin (AT), and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP). A total of 230 infants with AEDS and suspected cow's milk allergy (CMA) received in a randomized double-blinded manner, concomitant with elimination diet, Lactobacillus GG (LGG), a mixture of four probiotic strains (MIX), or placebo for 4 wk. Four weeks after treatment, CMA was diagnosed with a double-blind placebo-controlled milk challenge. Faecal samples of 102 infants, randomly chosen for analysis, were collected before treatment, after 4-wk treatment, and on the first day of milk challenge. After treatment, IgA levels tended to be higher in probiotic groups than in the placebo group (LGG vs. placebo, p=0.064; MIX vs. placebo, p=0.064), and AT decreased in the LGG group, but not in other treatment groups. After challenge in IgE-associated CMA infants, faecal IgA was higher for LGG than for placebo (p=0.014), and TNF-alpha was lower for LGG than for placebo, but non-significantly (p=0.111). In conclusion, 4-wk treatment with LGG may alleviate intestinal inflammation in infants with AEDS and CMA.

• Authors: Mirva Viljanen, Mikael Kuitunen, Tari Haahtela, Kaisu Juntunen-Backman, Riitta Korpela, Erkki Savilahti
• Journal: Pediatric allergy and immunology : official publication of the European Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology (Pediatr Allergy Immunol) Vol. 16 Issue 1 Pg. 65-71 (Feb 2005) ISSN: 0905-6157 [Print] England
• PMID: 15693914 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Biomarkers
• Immunoglobulin A
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
• alpha 1-Antitrypsin
• Eosinophil Cationic Protein

Topics

• Biomarkers (analysis)
• Dermatitis, Atopic (diet therapy, immunology, microbiology)
• Double-Blind Method
• Eosinophil Cationic Protein (drug effects)
• Feces (chemistry, microbiology)
• Female
• Food Hypersensitivity (diet therapy, immunology, microbiology)
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin A (analysis, drug effects, immunology)
• Infant
• Inflammation (microbiology)
• Intestines (physiopathology)
• Lactobacillus (immunology)
• Male
• Milk Hypersensitivity (diet therapy, immunology, microbiology)
• Probiotics (therapeutic use)
• Syndrome
• Treatment Outcome
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (drug effects)
• alpha 1-Antitrypsin (drug effects)