EVALUATION OF THE EFFICACY OF ORAL CROMOLYN SODIUM OR AN OLIGOANTIGENIC DIET IN CHILDREN WITH ATOPIC-DERMATITIS - A MULTICENTER STUDY OF 1085 PATIENTS

One thousand eighty-live children with atopic dermatitis were enrolled in a multicenter study to evaluate the efficacy of 4 weeks of oral so dium cromoglycate or 4 weeks of a restricted diet. One thousand-eleven children (93%) concluded the study. At the end of the trial there was a significant improvement in skin lesions in the two groups: 61% of t he patients in the sodium cromoglycate group and 69% in the restricted diet showed a significant improvement in atopic dermatitis. We conclu ded that, at least in our experimental design, both sodium cromoglycat e and a restricted diet are equally effective in atopic dermatitis.