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BackgroundPatients with moderate-to-severe atopic eczema (AE) often require photo- or systemic immunomodulatory therapies to induce disease remission and maintain long-term control. The current evidence to guide clinical management is small, despite the frequent and often off-label use of these treatments. Registries of patients on photo- and systemic immunomodulatory therapies could fill this gap, and the collection of a core set concerning these therapies in AE will allow direct comparisons across registries as well as data sharing and pooling.Using an eDelphi approach, the international TREatment of ATopic eczema (TREAT) Registry Taskforce aims to seek consensus between key stakeholders internationally on a core set of domains and domain items for AE patient registries with a research focus that collect data of children and adults on photo- and systemic immunomodulatory therapies.Methods/designParticipants from six stakeholder groups will be invited: doctors, nurses, non-clinical researchers, patients, as well as industry and regulatory body representatives. The eDelphi will comprise three sequential online rounds, requesting participants to rate the importance of each proposed domain and domain items. Participants will be able to add domains and domain items to the proposed list in round 1. A final consensus meeting will be held with representatives of each stakeholder group.DiscussionIdentifying a uniform core set of domains and domain items to be captured by AE patient registries will increase the utility of individual registries, and provide greater insight into the effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness of photo- and systemic immunomodulatory therapies to guide clinical management across dermatology centres and country borders.Trial registrationNot applicable. This eDelphi study was registered in the Core Outcome Measures for Effectiveness Trials (COMET) database.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13063-016-1765-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Summary
Background
Comparative, real‐life and long‐term evidence on the effectiveness and safety of phototherapy and systemic therapy in moderate‐to‐severe atopic eczema (AE) is limited. Such data must come from well‐designed prospective patient registries. Standardization of data collection is needed for direct comparisons and data pooling.
Objectives
To reach a consensus on how and when to measure the previously defined domain items of the TREatment of ATopic eczema (TREAT) Registry Taskforce core dataset for research registries for paediatric and adult patients with AE.
Methods
Proposals for the measurement instruments were based on recommendations of the Harmonising Outcome Measures for Eczema (HOME) initiative, the existing AE database of TREATgermany, systematic reviews of the literature and expert opinions. The proposals were discussed at three face‐to‐face consensus meetings, one teleconference and via e‐mail. The frequency of follow‐up visits was determined by an expert survey.
Results
A total of 16 experts from seven countries participated in the ‘how to measure’ consensus process and 12 external experts were consulted. A consensus was reached for all domain items on how they should be measured by assigning measurement instruments. A minimum follow‐up frequency of initially 4 weeks after commencing treatment, then every 3 months while on treatment and every 6 months while off treatment was defined.
Conclusions
This core dataset for national AE research registries will aid in the comparability and pooling of data across centres and country borders, and enables international collaboration to assess the long‐term effectiveness and safety of phototherapy and systemic therapy used in patients with AE.
What's already known about this topic?
Comparable, real‐life and long‐term data on the effectiveness and safety of phototherapy and systemic therapy in patients with atopic eczema (AE) are needed.
There is a high diversity of outcomes and instruments used in AE research, which require harmonization to enhance comparability and allow data pooling.
What does this study add?
Our taskforce has reached international consensus on how and when to measure core domain items for national AE research registries.
This core dataset is now available for use by researchers worldwide and will aid in the collection of unified data.
What are the clinical implications of this work?
The data collected through this core dataset will help to gain better insights into the long‐term effectiveness and safety of phototherapy and systemic therapy in AE and will provide important information for clinical practice.
Standardization of such data collection at the national level will also allow direct data comparisons and pooling across country borders (e.g. in the analysis of treatment‐related adverse events that require large patient numbers).
This core set of domains and items to be captured by national AE systemic therapy registries will standardize data collection and thereby allow direct comparability across registries and facilitate data pooling between countries. Ultimately, it will provide greater insight into the effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness of photo- and systemic immunomodulatory therapies.
Tofacitinib is a selective 1/3 janus kinase inhibitor (JAKi), used to treat a number of inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, systemic lupus, sarcoidosis, vitiligo, and alopecia areata (AA). 1,2 Tofacitinib inhibits signaling of numerous cytokines including interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, IL-15, and IL-21, thereby attenuating the inflammatory cascade and activation of T cells involved in AA pathogenesis. 3,4 Alopecia areata is an autoimmune, non-scaring alopecia with an estimated lifetime prevalence of 2%. 5 Almost half of all patients experience disease onset within the first two decades of life making it the most common cause of hair loss in children. 6 The natural history of
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