UK TREND Eczema Network
Gene-environment Interactions
Led by Prof Sara Brown and
Dr Sinéad Langan
This group will examine the diverse environmental factors that influence eczema and what influence genetics have on the severity of the disease and episodes of flare.
Key partners: genetic and molecular scientists, immunologists, allergists, clinicians and patients
In 2015 UK TREND organised two open meetings to discuss the interest and potential in establishing a
network to advance and promote translational research into eczema. This is a national initiative and representatives are encouraged to become involved from the UK and Ireland.
The following three groups have been set up to to take the research initiative forward.
A*STAR Registry
Led by Prof. Carsten Flohr
This group will identify the key clinical indicators to observe and study patients with moderate to severe atopic eczema with the aim of providing advanced diagnostics, drug efficacy, reactions and safety among other objectives.
Key partners: statisticians, database experts, epidemiologists, clinicians and patients
Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI)
To assist with the calculation of the EASI score in the clinical setting, an app has been developed by Lawrence Brown, with design input from Prof Sara Brown.
Free of charge and available for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android
Download: http://www.easicalc.uk/
Guidance on the use of EASI has been produced by the HOME initiative, read it here: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/homeforeczema/resources.aspx
Stratified Medicine
Led by Prof Nick Reynolds
This group will identify the potential to developed personalised treatment for patients with eczema.
The research requires detailed understanding of the origin and pathway of the disease, its diagnosis and how different patients respond to existing and new treatments.
Key partners: molecular and genetic scientists, clinicians and patients
The TREatment of Severe Atopic Dermatitis (TREAT) Trial
Prof. Carsten Flohr and his team at St John’s Institute of Dermatology, Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London will be conduct a randomised controlled trial assessing the effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness of methotrexate versus ciclosporin in the treatment of severe atopic dermatitis in children. This is currently expanding across the UK see here for more information.
This work has been funded by the NIHR Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) Programme and was supported by UK TREND.
We look forward to following the progress of this project. If you are interested in reading the plain language summary of this trial, click here.
Stratified Medicine
The Stratified Eczema research group held an inaugural consortium-building meeting at Newcastle University on 28 February 2017, with support from UK TREND and the MRC Proximity to Discovery Funding.
Click here for more information.
Building on the discovery of FLG mutations predisposing to atopic eczema and particular sub-phenotypes, we believe that the combination of this insight with other genetic risk factors and emerging biological therapies means that there is an urgent need to develop a stratified medicine approach. Moreover, the NIHR infrastructure and our established collaborations means that the UK is uniquely placed to deliver such an integrative and multidisciplinary project.