| Literature DB >> 35199857 |
Hywel C Williams1, Margaret J McPhee1, Carron P Layfield1.
Abstract
The UK Dermatology Clinical Trials Network (UK DCTN) was formed in 2002 with the aim of developing and supporting high-quality independent national clinical trials that address prioritized research questions for people with skin disease. Its philosophy is to democratize UK dermatological clinical research and to tackle important clinical questions that industry has no incentive to answer. The network also plays a key role in training and capacity development. Its membership of over 1000 individuals includes dermatology consultants, trainees, dermatology nurses, general practitioners, methodologists and patients. Its organizational structures are lean and include a co-ordinating team based at the Centre of Evidence-Based Dermatology in Nottingham, and an executive with independent members to ensure probity and business progression. A prioritization panel and steering group enable a pipeline of projects to be prioritized and refined for external funding from independent sources. The UK DCTN has supported and completed 12 national clinical trials, attracting investment of over £15 million into UK clinical dermatology research. Trials have covered a range of interventions from drugs such as doxycycline (BLISTER), silk clothing for eczema (CLOTHES) and surgical interventions for hidradenitis suppurativa (THESEUS). Trial results are published in prestigious journals and have global impact. Genuine partnership with patients and carers has been a strong feature of the network since its inception. The UK DCTN is proud of its first 20 years of collaborative work, and aims to remain at the forefront of independent dermatological health technology assessment, as well as expanding into areas including diagnostics, artificial intelligence, efficient studies and innovative designs.Entities:
Mesh:
Year: 2022 PMID: 35199857 PMCID: PMC9322597 DOI: 10.1111/ced.15140
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Clin Exp Dermatol ISSN: 0307-6938 Impact factor: 4.481
Impacts arising from UK Dermatology Clinical Trials Network Priority Setting Partnerships.
| Skin topic | Leads | UK DCTN role | Impact (subsequent studies) | Other impact | Top 10 uncertainties publication |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Completed PSPs (date) | |||||
| Vitiligo (2010) | Kim Thomas, Viktoria Eleftheriadou; CEBD UoN | Partner | HI‐LIGHT |
| Eleftheriadou |
| Eczema (2012) | Kim Thomas, Tessa Clarke; CEBD UoN | Coordinator | TREAT, TEST, ECO, BEEP, CLOTHES, BATHE, BEE | WAPs | Batchelor |
| HS (2013) | John Ingram; University of Wales | Funder and Coordinator | THESEUS | Deroofing guide videos on YouTube® | Ingram |
| Acne (2014) | Alison Layton, Anne Eady; Harrogate DGH | Co‐funder and partner | SAFA | Cochrane review on treatments for acne scars | Layton |
| Hair loss (2015) | Abby Macbeth, Norwich; Alopecia UK | Partner | Alopecia UK studies listed here | Two articles published: one on alopecia areata and other on hair loss | Macbeth |
| Cellulitis (2017) | Kim Thomas, Jo Chalmers; CEBD UoN | Funder and Coordinator | COAT (provisional) | Outcomes in cellulitis trials | Thomas |
| LSc (2018) | Rosalind Simpson; CEBD UoN | Coordinator | CORALs | Simpson | |
| Psoriasis (2018) | Helen Young, Rabiya Majeed‐Ariss; UoM | Partner and support | What patients and clinicians believe is ‘unknown’ about psoriasis | YouTube® video about psoriasis treatments | Majeed‐Aris |
| Hyperhidrosis (2019) | Louise Dunford; De Montfort University Leicester | Co‐funder and partner | Cochrane review underway | National research network setup | Dunford |
| Ongoing PSPs | |||||
| Pemphigus and pemphigoid | Karen Harman, CEBD UoN | Coordinator | – | – | – |
| Skin cancer surgery | Aaron Wernham, David Veitch | Funder and partner | – | – | – |
CEBD, Centre of Evidence Based Dermatology, Population and Lifespan Sciences; DGH, District General Hospital; HS, hidradenitis suppurativa; LSc, lichen sclerosus; PSP, Priority Setting Partnership; UK DCTN, UK Dermatology Clinical Trials Network; UoM, University of Manchester; UoN, University of Nottingham.
UK Dermatology Clinical Trials Network themed calls.
| Year (theme) | Funded project [researchers] | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 (acne) | Acne Priority Setting Partnership [Alison Layton, Harrogate] | Project completed |
| 2013 (vitiligo) | Psychological Interventions for Vitiligo Feasibility Work [Alia Ahmed, London] | Project completed |
| 2014 (dermatological surgery) | The HEALS study [Emma Pynn, Wales and Jane Nixon, Leeds] | Project completed and submitted for publication |
| 2015 (rare skin disease) | PATHS: Patient Reported Outcome Measures for HS [John Ingram, Cardiff] | Project withdrawn; superseded by the international HISTORIC initiative |
| 2016 (hair and nails) | ROMA: Patient Reported Outcome Measures for Alopecia Areata [Abby Macbeth, Norwich] | Project completed and in write‐up |
| 2017 (skin health for older people) | Feasibility Work to Support the SCC‐AFTER Study (an RCT investigating the use of Adjuvant Radiotherapy in High‐Risk SCC) [Catherine Harwood, London and Agata Rembeliak, Manchester] | Project completed |
| 2018 (supporting recently completed PSPs) | Developing core outcomes for vulval lichen sclerosus (CORALS) [Rosalind Simpson, Nottingham] | Project ongoing |
| 2019 (dermatological surgery; co‐funded with the BSDS) | Dermatological Surgery for Skin Cancer Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) [Aaron Wernham, Midlands and David Veitch, Leicester] | Project ongoing |
| 2020 (psychological interventions for skin disorders, funded by a donation from the BAD) | Development of virtual habit reversal intervention material for children with atopic eczema [Susannah Baron, London and Ingrid Muller, Southampton] | Project ongoing |
| 2021 (paediatric dermatology; co‐funded with the NES and BSPAD |
Supporting children and young people's sLeep in those with EczEma Programme (SLEEP) Survey and Focus Groups [Conor Broderick and Carsten Flohr, London] Patient‐reported screening and assessment instruments for depression, self‐harm and suicidality in children/young people and establishing their clinical utility, acceptability, and feasibility for use in acne clinical trials and clinical practice [Damian Wood and Jane Ravenscroft, Nottingham] Feasibility work to support a randomized controlled trial on the equivalence and acceptability of teleconsultation for follow‐up of paediatric eczema compared with face‐to‐face consultation [Natalie King Stokes on behalf of UK DCTN Paediatric Dermatology Trainee Group, various] | Projects in setup |
BAD, British Association of Dermatologists; BSDS, British Society for Dermatological Surgery; BSPAD, British Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Dermatology; NES, National Eczema Society; UK DCTN, UK Dermatology Clinical Trials Network.
Figure 1UK Dermatology Clinical Trials Network (UK DCTN) infrastructure. [Colour figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com]
Figure 2Flow of proposals submitted to the UK Dermatology Clinical Trials Network (UK DCTN). TGPP, Trial Generation and Prioritization Panel. [Colour figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com]
Figure 3Some patient partners such as Maxine Whitton MBE (pictured here) have been instrumental in driving research into neglected areas such as vitiligo by undertaking Cochrane reviews, developing core outcomes and eventually becoming co‐applicants on clinical trials such as HI‐LIGHT. [Colour figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com]
Completed trials.
| Study | Description | Publications |
|---|---|---|
| PATCH I and PATCH II | Do prophylactic antibiotics (taken for 12 & 6 months) prevent further episodes of cellulitis of the leg? (Neil Cox, Carlisle) | The PATCH I |
| SWET (adopted) | Can ion‐exchange water softeners help reduce eczema severity in children? (Hywel Williams and Kim Thomas, Nottingham) | The SWET trial showed no objective difference in outcomes between the children whose homes were fitted with a water softener and those without |
| SINS (adopted) | Comparison of excisional surgery with imiquimod cream for nodular and superficial basal cell carcinoma (Hywel Williams, Nottingham) | The SINS trial demonstrated that more patients had their BCC successfully treated by surgery than imiquimod. However, the results showed that imiquimod might still be a useful treatment for smaller, lower‐risk BCCs and for patients who would prefer not to have surgery (Year 3 study results, |
| BLISTER | Is doxycycline a good alternative to prednisolone for treating bullous pemphigoid? (Fenella Wojnarowska, Oxford and Hywel Williams, Nottingham) | The BLISTER study showed that although not quite so effective in the short term, doxycycline is a significantly safer treatment in the long term |
| STOP GAP | Comparing the use of prednisolone and ciclosporin for the treatment of pyoderma gangrenosum (Tony Ormerod, Aberdeen) | The STOP GAP trial found no difference between ciclosporin and prednisolone in the speed of healing and in the median time to healing. In both groups, <50% of ulcers had healed by 6 months (main study results, |
| LIMIT‐1 | Is imiquimod a sufficiently effective treatment for lentigo maligna? (Jerry Marsden, Birmingham) | The LIMIT‐1 study showed that imiquimod was not as effective as surgery for the clearance of lentigo maligna |
| hELP | The effectiveness of tablet treatments for moderate or severe vulval erosive lichen planus (feasibility study) (Rosalind Simpson, Nottingham) | This study provided valuable evidence for future trials in the area (feasibility results |
| HI‐LIGHT | Topical corticosteroid and home‐based narrowband UVB for active and limited vitiligo (Jonathan Batchelor and Kim Thomas, Nottingham) | The HI‐LIGHT study showed that using both treatments together was better than using steroid ointment on its own. It also found that the vitiligo tended to return once treatments were stopped |
| CLOTHES | The role of specialist silk clothing in the management of paediatric eczema (Kim Thomas, Nottingham) | The silk garments in the CLOTHES trial did not appear to provide additional clinical or economic benefits over standard care for the management of children with eczema |
| BEEP | Barrier enhancement for eczema prevention in newborn babies at increased risk of eczema (Hywel Williams, Nottingham) | The BEEP study showed that the use of emollients from birth does not prevent eczema from developing in babies with an increased risk of developing eczema (2‐year study results) |
| APRICOT (adopted study) | Treatment of pustular psoriasis with IL‐1 receptor antagonist anakinra (Catherine Smith, London) | The APRICOT study demonstrated that anakinra is not an effective treatment for pustular psoriasis |
| SPOT | Treatments for preventing squamous cell carcinoma in organ transplant patients (feasibility study) (Catherine Harwood, London) | The SPOT study showed that trials of topical AK treatments in organ transplant patients for cSCC chemoprevention are feasible and AK activity results support further investigation in future Phase III trials |
| TEST | What is the value of food allergy testing in infants with early onset eczema (pilot study)? (Matt Ridd, Bristol) | In write‐up; study protocol published |
| BEE | Best emollient for eczema – a study comparing lotion, cream, gel and ointment in children with eczema (Matt Ridd, Bristol) | Submitted for publication; study protocol published |
| TREAT | Comparing the use of methotrexate and ciclosporin for the treatment of severe eczema in children (Carsten Flohr, London) | In write‐up |
| OASIS | An observational study to investigate surgical site infection in ulcerated skin cancers (feasibility study) (Rachel Abbott, Cardiff) | Submitted for publication |
AK, actinic keratosis; BCC, basal cell carcinoma; IL‐2, interleukin‐2; cSCC, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma; UVB, ultraviolet B.
Ongoing trials.
| Study | Description | Further information |
|---|---|---|
| ALPHA | Comparison of alitretinoin and PUVA for the treatment of severe chronic hand eczema (Miriam Whitmann, Leeds) |
|
| SAFA | Spironolactone for the treatment of adult female acne (Miriam Santer, Southampton and Alison Layton, Harrogate) |
|
| THESEUS | A study to inform the design of future HS trials and to understand how HS treatments are currently used (John Ingram, Cardiff) |
|
| BEACON | Best systemic treatments for adults with eczema over the long term (Catherine Smith and Andrew Pink, London) |
|
HS, hidradenitis suppurativa; PUVA, psoralen ultraviolet A.
Pipeline trials.
| Study | Stage of development | UK DCTN traffic light |
|---|---|---|
| Proactive v reactive therapy for the prevention of lichen sclerosus exacerbation and progression of disease (Rosalind Simpson and Kim Thomas, Nottingham) | Full application submitted to NIHR HTA (commissioned call) |
|
| Is a shorter course of oral flucloxacillin as effective as a longer course in initial treatment of lower limb cellulitis in primary care? (Nick Francis, Southampton) | Full application submitted to NIHR HTA (commissioned call) |
|
| Acne programme grant (Miriam Santer and Ingrid Muller, Southampton) | Full application submitted to NIHR Programme Grant scheme (investigator‐led) |
|
| RAPID eczema programme grant (Kim Thomas, Nottingham) | Full application submitted to NIHR Programme Grant scheme (commissioned call |
|
| TIGER: what is the value of food allergy testing in primary care in infants with early onset eczema? (Matthew Ridd, Bristol) | Full application submitted to NIHR HTA (investigator‐led) |
|
| Low‐dose isotretinoin for acne (Esther Burden‐Teh and Kim Thomas, Nottingham) | Outline application submitted to NIHR HTA (commissioned call) |
|
| HEALS: healing of excisional wounds on lower legs by secondary intention (Jane Nixon, Leeds, Aaron Wernham West Mids and David Veitch, Leicester) | Outline application submitted to NIHR HTA (investigator‐led) |
|
| SCC‐AFTER (ART for high‐risk SCC) (Agata Rembielak, Manchester; Catherine Harwood, London) | Outline application submitted to NIHR HTA (investigator‐led) |
|
| EXCISE: Is oral antibiotic treatment effective in preventing surgical site infection (SSI) after excision of an ulcerated skin cancer? And if so, is a single dose of antibiotic treatment no worse than a 7‐day course of antibiotic treatment in preventing SSI? (Rachel Abbott, Cardiff) | Planning outline application to NIHR HTA (investigator‐led) April 2022 |
|
| In low‐risk BCC, is clinic‐based diagnostic punch biopsy followed by observation, not inferior to standard pragmatic ablative treatment, in terms of skin cancer specific quality of life? (Jeremy Rodriguez and Rubeta Matin, Oxford) | Development ongoing |
|
| What is the effect of an adjunctive ‘Walk and Talk’ intervention for people with psoriasis on social connectedness? (Sharleen Hill and Sandy McBride, London) | Development ongoing |
|
| Can we manage keratoacanthoma better? Can we defer surgery to improve outcomes? (Saleem Tajbee and Dimitra Koch, Dorchester) | Development ongoing |
|
| COUN: Chemoprevention Of skin cancer Using Nicotinamide in Organ Transplant recipients (Rubeta Matin, Oxford) | Feasibility work complete but development of main study currently on hold |
|
| CANVAS: are superficial absorbable sutures non‐inferior to superficial non‐absorbable sutures? (Aaron Wernham, West Midlands; David Veitch, Leicester) | Feasibility work complete but development of main study currently on hold |
|
ART, adjuvant radiotherapy; BCC, basal cell carcinoma; HTA, Health Technology Assessment; NIHR, National Institute for Health Research; SCC, squamous cell carcinoma; SSI, surgical site infection.