Thirty seven breast fed infants with eczema were studied to see whether changes in their mothers' diets affected their skin condition. Nineteen mothers and babies took part in a double blind crossover trial of exclusion of egg and cows' milk, and 18 took part in open exclusion of 11 foods followed by double blind challenge to those mothers whose infants seemed to respond. Babies were examined at the beginning and end of each dietary period, and the extent and severity of the rash were given a numerical score. The eczema improved in six infants when their mothers avoided egg and cows' milk and worsened again when these were reintroduced. Two infants suffered gastrointestinal reactions after maternal ingestion of egg and cows' milk, one developing colitis.Maternal dietary exclusion seems to benefit some breast fed babies with eczema.

Fifty-three patients with atopic eczema took part in a double blind controlled cross-over trial of an egg and cow's milk exclusion diet. Response to the diet was assessed in terms of areas affected, day and night time itch, and topical steroid usage. Twenty-five percent of the patients failed to comply adequately with the trial regime and were excluded from the analysis. Of the remaining 40 patients, ten appeared to benefit from the diet and were advised to continue egg and milk avoidance. This response rate to the diet was not statistically significant.

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Estimation of phytanic acid in human plasma and in a number of foodstuffs is described.Int J Food Sci Nutr Downloaded from informahealthcare.com by Flinders University of South Australia on 02/04/15For personal use only. Polar stationary No n-pol ar stationaryInt J Food Sci Nutr Downloaded from informahealthcare.com by Flinders University of South Australia on 02/04/15For personal use only.

An exclusively breast fed infant developed eczema and severe gastrointestinal symptoms when his mother took cow's milk or goat's milk, and eczema alone when she took soya milk. The cow's milk- and soya milk-induced symptoms were reproduced by double blind challenge.