Beneficial Effect of Diet Intervention on School Children with Atopic Dermatitis

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most common skin disorders affecting infants and children. Food allergy is a strong risk factor for the development of AD. This study was designed to evaluate the improvement of symptoms among AD patients in the late childhood while they take the customized (organic, balanced, non-allergic, diverse vegetable, little saturated fat and trans fat free) diet. METHODS: Nineteen children with AD who agreed to the written consent were enrolled in the study from October to December, 2014. We supplied them with the customized diet for 8 weeks. Clinical evaluations, blood tests and nutritional status were conducted at baseline, at 4th and at 8th week. Eczema area and severity index (EASI) and Scoring atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) were used to determine the severity of AD. RESULTS: The mean age of 19 patients was 8.5±1.54 years. EASI and SCORD index were decreased after diet intervention (2.6±3.06 [standard deviation] vs. 2.0±2.93 P=0.026, 24.9±10.76 vs. 20.0±12.65 P=0.009). Pruritus scores using visual analogue scale, rated by patients and hemoglobin revealed statistically significant improvement after diet intervention. CONCLUSIONS: The customized diet helps to improve the symptoms of atopic dermatitis and the nutritional indicators. Additional long-term and large-scale studies are required as well as the development of various diets.