Improvement of Atopic Dermatitis by Synbiotic Baths

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Microbiology
• Immunology

Background:

• Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a prevalent chronic inflammatory skin condition.
• Current treatments for AD can have limitations, necessitating novel therapeutic approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of synbiotic baths in treating patients with atopic dermatitis.
• To assess the impact of synbiotic baths on AD severity, patient-reported symptoms, and skin microbiome composition.

Main Methods:

• A randomized, double-blind study involving 22 AD patients assigned to synbiotic, prebiotic, or placebo baths for 14 days.
• AD severity was assessed using the Severity Scoring of Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) index and patient questionnaires.
• Skin microbiome analysis was performed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing before and after treatment.

Main Results:

• Both synbiotic and prebiotic baths significantly reduced SCORAD scores over the 14-day treatment period.
• Synbiotic baths led to significant improvements in pruritus and skin dryness.
• Synbiotic bath treatment resulted in an enrichment of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in the skin microbiome.

Conclusions:

• Synbiotic baths represent a promising topical therapy for alleviating symptoms of atopic dermatitis.
• The study highlights the potential of synbiotics in modulating the skin microbiome for therapeutic benefit in AD.