Reduced occurrence of early atopic dermatitis because of immunoactive prebiotics among low-atopy-risk infants.
BACKGROUND
Most infants developing atopic dermatitis have a low risk for atopy. Primary prevention of atopic dermatitis is difficult.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the effect of supplementation of an infant and follow-on formula with prebiotic and immunoactive oligosaccharides on the occurrence of atopic dermatitis in the first year of life.


METHODS
Healthy term infants from 5 European countries with low atopy risk were recruited before the age of 8 weeks, either having started with formula feeding or being on full breast-feeding (breast-feeding group). Formula-fed infants were randomized to feeding with a regular formula containing a specific mixture of neutral oligosaccharides and pectin-derived acidic oligosaccharides (prebiotic formula group) or regular formula without oligosaccharides (control formula group).


RESULTS
A total of 414 infants were randomized to the prebiotic group and 416 infants to the control group. A total of 300 infants were followed in the breast-feeding group. Up to the first birthday, atopic dermatitis occurred in significantly fewer infants from the prebiotic group (5.7%) than from the control group (9.7%; P = .04). The cumulative incidence of atopic dermatitis in the prebiotic group was in the low range of the breast-feeding group (7.3%). In a Cox regression model, the rate of atopic dermatitis was significantly lower by 44% in the prebiotic group versus the control group (P = .04). The number needed to prevent 1 case of atopic dermatitis by supplementation of prebiotics was 25 infants.


CONCLUSIONS
Formula supplementation with a specific mixture of oligosaccharides was effective as primary prevention of atopic dermatitis in low atopy risk infants.
Grüber
Christoph
C
Department of Pediatric Pneumology and Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany. christoph.grueber@charite.de
van Stuijvenberg
Margriet
M
Mosca
Fabio
F
Moro
Guido
G
Chirico
Gaetano
G
Braegger
Christian P
CP
Riedler
Josef
J
Boehm
Günther
G
Wahn
Ulrich
U
D001942:Breast Feeding; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D056692:Prebiotics; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D009844:Oligosaccharides; D056692:Prebiotics