It’s still unclear whether silk really does provide additional benefits for patients. Hopefully, this trial will help us find out whether it really works or not.
- Consultant dermatologist Nigel Burrows
Researchers want to recruit 300 children across the UK to take part in a clinical trial at various hospitals. Eleven children are currently taking part at CUH Addenbrooke’s and researchers are looking for around 50 more.
The £1m CLOTHES trial – Clothing for the relief of Eczema Symptoms – is being led by The University of Nottingham and has been funded by National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment (NIHR HTA) Programme.
It’s being co-ordinated at CUH Addenbrooke’s by consultant dermatologist Nigel Burrows and research nurse, Clare Crang.
Nigel says: “There have been some ‘impressive’ claims recently, promoting specialist silk clothing as a new treatment option for people with eczema. But it’s still unclear whether silk really does provide additional benefits for patients. Hopefully, this trial will help us find out whether it really works or not.”
Children, between the age of one and 15, are needed to volunteer in the trial which will compare the additional use of silk clothing, to normal eczema care alone. Children enrolled in the study will be put into one of two groups: the first group will receive the clothing straight away and be asked to wear it for the first 6 months of their participation in the trial. The second group will start wearing the clothing later, after the first six months of the trial. The silk undergarments-a separate top and bottom- can be worn under normal clothing during the day, or as pyjamas at night time. All children can keep the clothing after the trial to use until they grow out of them. Throughout the trial all of the children will be free to continue with their usual eczema treatments, such as moisturisers and topical steroids.
Each child will be enrolled in the trial for eight months and will be asked to attend the clinic at Addenbrooke’s on four different occasions throughout the trial period. Parents will be asked to complete a weekly questionnaire at home so that they can track how the eczema has been and how often the clothing has been worn.
Are you eligible?
If you think your child may be eligible to participate please contact Clare Crang on 07894 800 307 or clare.crang@addenbrookes.nhs.uk
The trial team in Nottingham are on 0115 8844937 or clothes@nottingham.ac.uk. The website address is www.nottingham.ac.uk/clothes
Image: Child modelling silk undergarments.
NOTES
If this research can show that these garments provide additional benefits for patients, then this would be an important finding, and many eczema sufferers could benefit. Equally, if the research shows that the clothes provide no useful benefit, then patients and the NHS can save money by not using treatments that have been shown to be ineffective.
The trial brings together a team of experts from across the country. The universities involved are; The University of Nottingham, Portsmouth University, the University of East Anglia and Hull University and the University of Dundee. There are six NHS Trusts taking part in the study – Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust, Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust.
The clothing has been donated by Espère Healthcare Ltd and DreamSkin Health Ltd.
The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment (NIHR HTA) Programme funds research about the effectiveness, costs, and broader impact of health technologies for those who use, manage and provide care in the NHS. It is the largest NIHR programme and publishes the results of its research in the Health Technology Assessment journal, with over 700 issues published to date. The journal’s 2013 Impact Factor (5.116) ranked it two out of 85 publications in the Health Care Sciences and Services category. All issues are available for download, free of charge, from the website. The HTA Programme is funded by the NIHR, with contributions from the CSO in Scotland, NISCHR in Wales, and the HSC R&D Division, Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland. www.nets.nihr.ac.uk/programmes/hta
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is funded by the Department of Health to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. Since its establishment in April 2006, the NIHR has transformed research in the NHS. It has increased the volume of applied health research for the benefit of patients and the public, driven faster translation of basic science discoveries into tangible benefits for patients and the economy, and developed and supported the people who conduct and contribute to applied health research. The NIHR plays a key role in the Government’s strategy for economic growth, attracting investment by the life-sciences industries through its world-class infrastructure for health research. Together, the NIHR people, programmes, centres of excellence and systems represent the most integrated health research system in the world. For further information, visit the NIHR website (www.nihr.ac.uk).
This article presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health.
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Cambridge University Hospitals
For further information, please contact: louise.gosling@addenbrookes.nhs.uk tel: 01223 586 730
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