ECZEMA TREATMENT

Some find that eating two kiwi a day will improve their skin, others find it may be easier to take in pill form:

A multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effectiveness of kiwi fruit extract in adults with atopic dermatitis of moderate severitySerena Mraz, MD, Solano Dermatology Associates and Solano Clinical Research, Vallejo, CA, United States; Bruce Miller, MD, Oregon Medical Research, Portland, OR, United States; Alicia Bucko, DO, Eduardo Tschen, MD, Academic Dermatology Associates, Albuquerque, NM, United States

Background:
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease charac- terized by the dysregulation of th1/th2 cytokine systems. Available treatments offer limited long-term efficacy and/or carry significant side effects. There is early preclinical evidence that the kiwi extract (KE) formulation tested has a direct impact on th1/th2 regulation. An effective and safe treatment for the management of AD would have an important impact on the clinical evolution of AD.
Methods:
In all, 51 patients with active AD of moderate severity (age 19-65 years) were enrolled and treated for 42 days with either oral KE or placebo (control). Patients took two capsules once a day. Moderate severity was defined by a physician's global assessment score of 3 and minimum body surface area of 10%. Patients were stabilized with a topical steroid until day 14. Topical steroid use was disallowed for the last 28d ays.Blood and urine were collected at screen days 1, 14, and 42 for urinalysis, biochemistry, and hematology profiles. Measurements of IgE and C-reactive protein were collected at days 1, 14, and 42. Clinical signs and symptoms were measured at study days 1, 14, 28, and 42.
Results:
Of patients, 90% (46) completed the trial. Of the 5 patients who discontinued early, one discontinued because of an AD flare. No patient was discontinued secondary to other adverse events. An interim efficacy analysis conducted when the first 17 patients completed the trial (17 intent to treat and 14 per protocol) showed no significant difference between cohorts in the primary endpoint. Strong trends were detected in the active treatment group for the secondary end points: induration and erythema (n = 9, P = .09 and P = .13, respectively).
Conclusions:
In a randomized, controlled, double-blind trial of 51 adults with active AD of moderate severity, preliminary evidence shows treatment with KE may improve signs and symptoms of the disease.
From Biotech firm picks BrentwoodMark Braman, CEO of the Boulder, Colo.-based Efficas, the company that launched the project, said he is working off of new scientific research showing that hardy kiwi -- a specialized fruit that looks more like a crab apple than it does the more common fuzzy, green kiwi we're used to -- has unparalleled natural healing properties. It's also quite rare, he says, with only about 200 acres planted throughout the world -- in Chili, New Zealand, Oregon, and as of last week, Brentwood.

Topical vitamin B12--a new therapeutic approach in atopic dermatitis-evaluation of efficacy and tolerability in a randomized placebo-controlled multicentre clinical trial.

Stucker M, Pieck C, Stoerb C, Niedner R, Hartung J, Altmeyer P. Clinic for Dermatology and Allergology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany. m.stuecker@derma.de

BACKGROUND: Vitamin B(12) is an effective scavenger of nitric oxide (NO). As the experimental application of a NO synthase inhibitor, N omega-nitro-L-arginine, led to a clear decrease in pruritus and erythema in atopic dermatitis, it would be reasonable to assume a comparable effect of vitamin B(12). OBJECTIVES: The efficacy and tolerability of a new vitamin B(12) cream as a possible alternative to current therapies was examined.

METHODS: A prospective, randomized and placebo-controlled phase III multicentre trial, involving 49 patients was conducted. For the treatment duration of 8 weeks, each patient applied twice daily (in the morning and evening) the vitamin B(12)-containing active preparation to the affected skin areas of one side of the body and the placebo preparation to the contralateral side according to the randomization scheme.

RESULTS: On the body side treated with the vitamin B(12) cream, the modified Six Area Six Sign Atopic Dermatitis score dropped to a significantly greater extent than on the placebo-treated body side (for the investigational drug 55.34 +/- 5.74 SEM, for placebo 28.87 +/- 4.86 SEM, P < 0.001). At the conclusion of the study, the investigator and patients awarded mostly a 'good' or 'very good' rating to the active drug (58% and 59%, respectively) and a 'moderate' or 'poor' rating to the placebo (89% and 87%, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS: Topical vitamin B(12) is a new therapeutic approach in atopic dermatitis. These results document a significant superiority of vitamin B(12) cream in comparison with placebo with regard to the reduction of the extent and severity of atopic dermatitis. Furthermore, the treatment was very well tolerated and involved only very low safety risks for the patients.

Treatment tips for eczema are like opinions; there are many of them. One obvious tip is to stay away from substances that cause reactions. Keep the skin as healthy as possible. When bathing, use soaps that are not harsh to the skin. Do not use any cortisone products that contain steroids. Steroid-bases products are known to have many side effects and should be avoided.Diet is very important. Some common foods known to contain allergens that can aggravate the body are daily products such as milk, cheese, ice cream, and yogurt. Eggs should be avoided. Crustacean meat should be greatly reduced or avoided altogether. Lobster, shrimp, squid, prawns, clams, oysters, and other crustaceans can cause allergic reactions. Salmon should also be avoided along with calcium supplements and color dyes, especially Yellow #5. Additional allergens are products containing NutraSweet. Mushrooms sometime cause reactions for eczema sufferers and should not be eaten. Hot, spicy foods can cause intestinal inflammation which can cause outbreaks of eczema

Dermatitis is inflammation of the various levels of the dermis which is the second layer of the skin. The dermis contains sweat glands, blood vessels and nerves to provide sensations of pleasure, pain, pressure, itch, or temperature. The dermis is composed of tissue types of collagen, elastic tissue, and reticular fibers. Any rash or inflammation such as psoriasis, eczema, skin cancer, seborrhea, etc. is dermatitis. Specific types of dermatitis are as follows: allergic contact dermatitis which is a delayed hypersensitivity reaction involving allergens and antibodies, contact dermatitis is due to exposure to irritating chemicals or detergents, atopic dermatitis which is an allergic reaction that is accompanied by hay fever, asthma, and very dry skin.

It has long been known that mercury in high concentration is toxic to humans, but until 50 years ago, it was not really too much of a problem for most of us. However, the prevalence of mercury in our food and environment has now reached global proportions that pose a serious threat. Toxicity can result in many diseases, including eczema.

As the world has industrialized, sites such as gold and mercury mines, alkali and metal processing plants, coal burning facilities and medical and other waste dumps have resulted in more and more mercury in the environment. As mercury is being released into the atmosphere it is transported to and deposited in water or on land. One example of how this affects us is in our lakes and waterways. Bacterial action in the water converts the mercury to a more toxic form known as methylmercury, which is then absorbed by fish. As they remain in the water, they continue to absorb higher quantities. Although consumption of the fish itself can be dangerous, the contamination does not end there - it moves up the food chain to birds, animals, marine mammals and, finally, humans. Since the properties of mercury allow it to be absorbed into very small particles of matter and it is therefore very difficult for the body to get rid of, the amount we’re consuming far exceeds the amount we’re eliminating, and the levels of mercury in the body become more concentrated as we consume more of the toxic foods.

Mercury can also be found in fillings for the teeth, vaccines such as those for flu and hepatitis B, and those given to children, and, now, in much of our foods due to the process described above. And, it is still being emitted through industrial processes. In 2001, the EPA even found that the mercury levels in rain and snow falling in the New England states was far beyond those considered safe for aquatic life, wildlife, and humans.

Mercury is also known to cause eczema and, as the incidence of mercury toxicity has increased, so has that of eczema. One study in England found that 20% of British school children now have eczema – compared to 5% of the 1950’s. Research has linked heavy metal toxicity to skin disorders, and several studies have concluded that toxic metals, including mercury, are the most common cause of contact eczema.

What can you do about it? While it’s dangerous to have too much mercury in your body, detoxing can be even more dangerous. As the mercury is released from various body parts, it goes into the blood stream and can cause serious problems. It’s best to find a doctor who is oriented towards nutrition and is aware of this type of problem, get tested to find out what your mercury levels are and then follow the protocol the doctor recommends.

In the meantime you should, of course, eat organic foods, fish that come from uncontaminated waters, and step up your intake of beneficial bacteria and antioxidants.

An article entitled “Eczema Uncomfortable But Not Dangerous” was recently published on a popular medical site. It presents a light-hearted view of the condition, stating that most kids gets rashes at some time or other, and if they get eczema (as do one in ten), it’s simply solved by giving them steroids. Eczema can have serious underlying causes that are going to be ignored if this light-hearted advice is followed.Let’s have a look at just a few of the most common underlying causes of eczema and their true significance.

High pH factor: When the level of acid gets so high that normal function fails to neutralize it, the body starts to take unusual measures in an attempt to keep the acid from invading the blood and vital organs. These include encasing the acid in fat tissue, and creating more fat tissue if there’s not enough, and leaching acid-neutralizing minerals like calcium from teeth and bones. If these actions fail, the acid starts to penetrate and corrode the vital organs. Much of the above has already occurred by the time the acid erupts through the skin, starting the eczema.

Dehydration: The brain is 80 percent water, and the blood is 92 percent. It’s important to keep these levels constant, as going below optimum by just 1 percent starts to cause problems. First we get thirsty, then our mental acuity starts breaking down, our metabolism slows, and our circulatory and digestive systems start to malfunction and the rest of the body starts to deteriorate. These processes have already begun when our skin becomes dry and itchy, and we get eczema.

Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency: EFA deficiency can cause growth retardation, inhibit development, and compromise the immune system. EFAs are vital for prevention of chronic diseases including coronary artery disease, hypertension, type II diabetes, arthritis and other immune/inflammatory disorders, and cancer. By the time the eczema shows up, you already have an internal situation.

Eczema, like most skin problems and many other conditions and disorders, is a symptom of something else going on. It’s a visible warning sign – designed to alert the owner that the body is not doing well. Failure to find out what’s behind it could have serious consequences.

Dyshidrotic eczema appears as intensely itchy blisters on the hands, fingers and soles of the feet. When it affects the hands it’s called cheiropompholyx and pedopompholyx when it affects the feet. It is also known as pompholyx, keratolysis exfoliativa, or vesicular eczema of the hands and/or feet. The cause of this pattern of eczema is not fully understood but in some cases there is a history of allergic contact dermatitis especially to nickel. Very often no specific allergen is found despite extensive patch testing. This form of eczema is aggravated by stress.