Investigating Immune Mechanisms in Atopic Eczema

Launched by UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, LONDON · Mar 31, 2014

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

Atopic eczema is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that affects 15-20% of children and 12% of adults and leads to significant loss of quality of life. It results from a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors, and is characterised by dysregulation of the cutaneous immune system. Specifically, in the skin of eczema patients there is a persistence of T lymphocytes (a crucial cell involved in regulating the immune system), and an overproduction of certain cytokines (signalling molecules that are essential in producing inflammatory responses).

The study intends to investigat...

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • History of atopic dermatitis (according to United Kingdom Working Party's diagnostic criteria)
• • Previous Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccination
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Unable to give written informed consent
• • Previous history of hypersensitivity to local anaesthetic (for skin biopsy) or tuberculin PPD (for skin test)
• • Pregnancy or breast feeding
• • History of tuberculosis
• • Recent infection or immunisation (within last month)
• • Known immunodeficiency e.g. HIV infection, primary immunodeficiency, any history of chemotherapy or radiotherapy
• • Systemic steroids within the last month or any other immunosuppressive medications (eg. methotrexate, ciclosporin or azathioprine) within the previous 3 months
• • Phototherapy within the previous 28 days
• • Treatment with potent topical corticosteroids or tacrolimus ointment within the previous 7 days
• • Significant co-morbidity (diabetes, renal failure, liver failure, heart failure)
• • On warfarin or known bleeding disorder
• • History of neoplasm in last 10 years (not including basal cell carcinoma)
• • Previous keloid scarring

Trial Officials