A 12-week double-blind controlled crossover trial of a milk and egg elimination diet was carried out in children, aged from 2 to 8 years, with atopic eczema (n = 36) 1. The results of the milk and egg phase were compared with results achieved during a phase when the children received a soya-based product. Eczema activity and sleeplessness relieved significantly during the diet, and the antihistamine usage reduced; there was no effect on pruritus. The study also highlighted a significant effect of the study setting to the symptoms; eczema activity and sleeplessness relieved significantly during the first diet period, whatever the nature of the diet. There was no correlation between a positive skin prick test to egg and cow's milk antigen and the response to the trial diet. A significant number withdrew from the trial: 44 %, i.e. only 20 completed the trial.
A crossover study in patients with atopic eczema, aged 1 - 23 years: three 6-week phases (the first and last phases egg and milk free) 2. Minor, statistically insignificant differences and a large number of withdrawals (25 %); 40 subjects completed.
Sixty-two children with atopic eczema (all had positive egg specific IgE blood test, positive symptom history n = 8), parallel prospective 4-week RCT 3. Fifty-five evaluated: extent of eczema 19.6 > 10.9 % egg-free, vs. 21.9 > 18.9 % control; severity score showed no great differences.
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