| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2019 | Volume
: 20
| Issue : 1 | Page : 41-45 |
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A controlled crossover study to assess the role of dietary eliminations in reducing the severity of atopic dermatitis in children
Pretty Mathew, Rajiv Sridharan, Thyvalappil Anoop, Ajayakumar Sreenivasan
Department of Dermatology, Pariyaram Medical College, Kannur, Kerala, India
Correspondence Address:
Dr. Thyvalappil Anoop
Department of Dermatology, Pariyaram Medical College, Kannur - 670 503, Kerala
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/ijpd.IJPD_20_18
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Background: In the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD), immune sensitization to food-derived allergens has a role. However, the evidence of allergen sensitization is not a proof of clinically relevant allergy and it has to be confirmed by food challenges so that unnecessary food restrictions in growing children can be avoided. Aims and Objectives: This study was conducted to assess the clinical severity of AD in children after certain dietary modifications and to correlate absolute eosinophil count (AEC) with dietary modification. Materials and Methods: A total of thirty AD children were enrolled randomly into a trial period of egg and cow's milk exclusion diet or control period of egg and cow's milk inclusion diet of 3 weeks. At the end of 3 weeks, patients resumed their normal diet to minimize any carryover effect for next 3 weeks. In the last 3 weeks, the trial and the control groups were crossed over. Patients were assessed at baseline and at the end of each 3-week period using SCORing AD (SCORAD) index and AEC. The data were analyzed using paired t-test. Results: The mean SCORAD at the end of control and trial period was 18.3 and 14.3, respectively, with a mean difference of 3.4, which is statistically not significant (P = 0.165). The mean AEC at the end of control and trial period was 836.5 and 799.6, respectively, the reduction being statistically not significant. Conclusion: Our study could not confirm the beneficial effects of an allergen avoidance diet in AD. We propose that dietary elimination advices should be given only to patients with a definite history of food-induced exacerbations of the disease.
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