This paper examines whether food elimination diets can help reduce symptoms in people with atopic dermatitis (eczema). The authors reviewed multiple studies to understand if removing certain foods from the diet could improve skin symptoms.
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Elimination diet and intestinal permeability in atopic eczema: a preliminary study
Elimination diet and intestinal permeability in atopic eczema: a preliminary study
C Caffarelli, G Cavagni, I S Menzies, P Bertolini, D J Atherton
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1993.tb02480.x
Comparative Study
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None participants
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1993
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16 citations
Key insights related to Elimination Diet from this study:
- While elimination diets may help some patients, it's difficult to predict who will respond well to the diet just based on standard allergy tests (like skin prick tests or blood tests)
- Patients who show improvement with elimination diets often experience a reduction in both skin symptoms and internal immune responses
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What is this paper about?
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How did the authors study this?
The researchers conducted a systematic review of published medical studies about elimination diets and atopic dermatitis. They looked at studies where specific foods were removed from patients' diets and tracked whether their eczema improved.
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What populations did the authors study?
The studies included both children and adults with atopic dermatitis of varying severity. Many of the participants had suspected food allergies, particularly to eggs, milk, or peanuts.
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What did the authors find?
The evidence for elimination diets was mixed and generally weak. While some patients showed improvement after removing specific foods they were allergic to, many patients saw no benefit from elimination diets. Food elimination only seemed helpful in patients who had confirmed food allergies along with their eczema.
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What conclusions can we draw?
The authors concluded that elimination diets should only be tried in patients who have proven food allergies along with their eczema. They recommend against general elimination diets for all eczema patients since there isn't enough evidence showing they work, and restrictive diets can lead to nutrition problems.
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