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

Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2005 Feb;16(1):65-71. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-3038.2005.00224.x.

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.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

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

Substances

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