A starch, glycyrretinic, zinc oxide and bisabolol based cream in the treatment of chronic mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis in children: a three-center, assessor blinded trial.

What Was Tested

The paper reports a study of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc, published as a clinical trial.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a very common chronic inflammatory and eczematous skin condition characterized by flares and remissions.

Skin barrier alteration or dysfunction is the most relevant patogenetic factor.

Who Took Part

According to the abstract, 30 children were involved.

By PubMed's age tags, the people studied were infants, young children and children, both men and women.

A total of 30 children (mean age 5 years, 18 males and 12 females) with chronic mild to moderate AD, affecting face, lower and upper limbs or trunk, were enrolled after parents' written informed consent.

Exclusion criteria were a condition of immunosuppression, acute flares or a positive history of allergy to one of the components of the cream.

How the Study Was Run

The primary outcome was the evolution total eczema severity score (TESS) calculated as the sum of the single eczema severity score for each body area involved.

Single area Eczema Severity Score (ESS) was calculated assessing eczema, infiltration, lichenification and scraching lesions using a 4-point scale grade (with 0=no sign, and 4=severe sign).

What Was Measured

PubMed files the paper under topics including Administration, Cutaneous, Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Dermatitis, Atopic, Dermatologic Agents, Drug Combinations, Emollients and Glycyrrhetinic Acid.

What This Means in Plain Language

This is a clinical trial of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc in 30 children.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The abstract goes on to report its results in about 8 sentences; this page does not restate them, so read the paper for the findings and their limits.

The publication is from 2017 (Minerva pediatrica), a journal based in Italy.

More context: the Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc compound page, all human trials.