RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To assess clinical and immunological changes in a group of atopic dermatitis patients treated with Mycobacterium vaccae (M. vaccae). METHODS: In an open, randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical observer-blinded trial, 20 patients with moderately severe to severe atopic dermatitis were treated with two subcutaneous M. vaccae injections 3 months apart. Clinical scoring and total serum IgE estimation were performed at the start, during and 3 months after the end of the study. RESULTS: Modest clinical improvement was seen in the patients after M. vaccae immunotherapy. There was no significant change in patients' total serum IgE levels. CONCLUSIONS: This study has shown limited improvement clinically in a group of patients with atopic dermatitis treated with two M. vaccae injections. It is suggested that further trials using four to six injections would produce much greater benefit.