J Korean Med Sci.  2020 Apr;35(18):e128. 10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e128.

Effects of Lactobacillus pentosus in Children with Allergen-Sensitized Atopic Dermatitis

• Ahn SH
• Yoon W
• Lee SY
• Shin HS
• Lim MY
• Nam YD
• Yoo Y

• KMID: 2500219
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e128

Abstract

Background
Recent studies have shown that oral administration of probiotics may improve the immune imbalance caused by dysbiosis of the gut microbiome in atopic dermatitis (AD). This study aimed to investigate the clinical and immunological effects of Lactobacillus pentosus in children with mild to moderate AD.
Methods
Children aged 2–13 years with AD were randomized to receive either 1.0 × 1010 colony-forming units of L. pentosus or placebo, daily, for 12 weeks. The clinical severity of AD and transepidermal water loss were evaluated. Blood eosinophil counts, serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE), and cytokine levels were measured. The diversity and composition of the gut microbiota were also analyzed.
Results
Eighty-two children were recruited, and 41 were assigned to the probiotics intervention group. The mean scoring of atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) indices at baseline were 30.4 and 34.3 for the probiotics and placebo groups, respectively. At week 12, the mean indices were 23.6 and 23.1 for the probiotics and placebo groups, respectively. Clinical severity decreased significantly over time in both groups, with no significant difference between the two groups. In both groups, there were no significant differences in cytokine levels, microbial diversity, or the relative abundance of the gut microbiota at week 12 compared with the corresponding baseline values. The mean subjective scores of SCORAD indices after intervention for the probiotics group were significantly lower than those for the placebo group in IgE sensitized AD (P = 0.019).
Conclusion
Our results show improved symptoms in the probiotics and placebo groups, and we could not find additional effects of L. pentosus in AD. However, the mean subjective scores of SCORAD indices for the probiotics group are significantly improved compared with those for the placebo group in allergen-sensitized AD.

Keyword

Atopic Dermatitis; Probiotics; Lactobacillus pentosus; Microbiome

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized study design.L. pentosus = Lactobacillus pentosus, SCORAD = scoring of atopic dermatitis, TEWL = transepidermal water loss, IgE = immunoglobulin E.

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  Fig. 2 Flowchart of the study.SCORAD = scoring of atopic dermatitis.

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  Fig. 3 Changes in gut microbial diversity in the two groups. (A) The α-diversity, measured by Chao 1 index. (B) The β-diversity, measured by Bray-Curtis distance. Each bar indicates the distance between different visits (baseline vs. week 12, baseline vs. week 14, and week 12 vs. week 14) within each group (probiotics vs. placebo).

• 

  Fig. 4 Relative abundance of dominant bacteria in gut microbiota in the two groups. (A) Phyla and (B) Genera levels.

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