Influences of Bifid Triple Viable Capsules Plus Cetirizine on Gut Microbiota and Immune Function in Children with Eczema

Abstract

Objective: Infantile eczema (IE), a common pediatric allergic skin disease caused by multiple inherent and external factors, is common in infants and young children, with skin lesions and itching as the main clinical manifestations. At present, its pathological mechanism has not been thoroughly clarified, but scholars believe that it is related to the joint action of various internal and external factors. This research aims to investigate the influences of bifid triple viable capsules plus cetirizine (CTZ) on gut microbiota (GMB) and immunity in children with eczema.

Methods: The complete clinical data of 162 cases of IE presented between July 2019 and July 2020 to the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. Children treated by CTZ alone were assigned to the control group (n = 81) and those by CTZ plus bifid triple viable capsules were included in the observation group (n = 81). Therapeutic efficacy, adverse reactions (ARs), disease recurrence, as well as changes in GMB, inflammatory factors (IFs) and immunoglobulins (Igs) were observed.

Results: The observation group was observed with a higher overall response rate and increased fecal Lactobacillus, Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Bifidobacterium counts after treatment versus the control group. After treatment, reduced IgG and IgM, as well as IFs, were found in both groups, with lower levels in the observation group. A lower incidence of ARs was determined in the observation group.

Conclusion: With high efficacy for the treatment of IE, bifid triple viable capsules plus CTZ can validly regulate the GMB of children, improve their immune function and clinical symptoms, and reduce the disease recurrence rate, which is worthy of clinical promotion.

Keywords: bifid triple viable capsules; cetirizine; eczema; gut microbiota; immune function.

Figure 1

Gut microbiota: (A) Bifidobacterium: Significantly increased Bifidobacterium count was found in both groups after treatment, and the increase in the observation group was more obvious; (B) Escherichia coli: Significantly increased Escherichia coli count was found in both groups after treatment, with more obvious increase in the observation group; (C) Lactobacillus: Significantly increased Lactobacillus count was observed in both groups after treatment, and the increase in the observation group was more obvious.

Figure 2

Inflammatory factors: (A) IL-4: Both groups showed decreased IL-4 after treatment, with a lower IL-4 level determined in the observation group; (B) IL-10: Both groups showed IL-10 after treatment, with a lower IL-10 level determined in the observation group.

Figure 3

Immunoglobulins: (A) Ig G Both groups showed significantly decreased Ig G after treatment, with a lower level found in the observation group; (B) Ig M Both groups showed significantly decreased Ig M after treatment, with a lower level found in the observation group.