When you are struggling to manage your child’s eczema, trying different treatments and not getting the results you want can be frustrating.
However, there is a lot of research happening in the world of eczema. The goal is to find out ways to better manage mild to moderate eczema, develop better treatments for severe eczema but also understand the root causes of eczema, in the hope to find a cure or effective treatments for all.
The University of Bristol conducted a short research project on Eczema allergy Screening Tests (TEST) to look into allergies and the part they play in eczema. This was a feasibility study to see if a clinical trial would be beneficial. The results of this are here. The team hopes to carry out a larger scale trial and make recommendations to the NHS about the use of allergy testing in children with eczema.
In addition there is research into eczema being carried out all over the world.
Bristol, Nottingham and Southampton
Researchers at the universities of Bristol, Cardiff, Southampton and Nottingham Universities, are carrying out or completed studies in:
- Bath Additives for Treatment in Childhood Eczema (BATHE)
- Best Emollient in Eczema (BEE)
- Barrier Enhancement in Eczema Prevention (BEEP)
- Eczema Care Online (ECO)
- Children with Eczema Antibiotic Management (CREAM)
The Netherlands
The Rotterdam Eczema study looks at the potencies of different topical steroids and their effect – you can read about the research here.
London and International
- Clinical research on prevention and treatment of severe eczema (Population based dermatology research) led by Prof. Carsten Flohr
- The UK-Irish Atopic Eczema Systemic Therapy Register – looking at the use of immunosuppressants (A*Star)
- Looking at the biomarkers – the biological properties that make up humans – and how these affect people with eczema (BIOMAP)
Edinburgh:
- Jenny Shelly is a PhD student studying the effects of bacteria on the skin in skin function in research
- Fiona Cunningham is looking at an aspect of immune function and eczema, you can read more here.
Global
The Cochrane network conducted research into the best oral or injected medicines to treat moderate to severe eczema and published their findings here.
