The Eczema Bathing Study: Weekly versus daily bathing for people with eczema? Protocol of an online, randomised controlled trial [version 2; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]

Bibliographic Details
Title: The Eczema Bathing Study: Weekly versus daily bathing for people with eczema? Protocol of an online, randomised controlled trial [version 2; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]
Authors: Paul Leighton, Wei Chern Gavin Fong, Ingrid Muller, Laura Howells, Arabella Baker, Eleanor J Mitchell, Eleanor Harrison, Leila Thuma, Yimin Jiang, Lucy Bradshaw, Alan Montgomery, Fiona Cowdel, Matthew J Ridd, Jane Ravenscroft, Reiko J Tanaka, Miriam Santer, Richard Swinden, Nicholas Hilken, Carron Layfield, Richard Dooley, Sophia Collins, Clare Upton, Tracy Owen, Firoza Davies, Devin Patel, Mars Eddis-Finbow, Hywel C Williams, Goldie Putrym, Kim S Thomas, Amanda Roberts
Source: NIHR Open Research, Vol 4 (2025)
Publisher Information: F1000 Research Ltd, 2025.
Publication Year: 2025
Collection: LCC:Medicine
Subject Terms: Atopic dermatitis, Bath, Eczema, Evidence, Personal care, Randomised controlled trial, eng, Medicine
More Details: Background A priority setting partnership for eczema (syn atopic eczema, atopic dermatitis) has identified that bathing frequency is a key area of patient interest. However, there are nolarge, high-quality randomised controlled trials (RCTs) investigating this. The Rapid Eczema Trials project is a novel programme of research that aims to deliver multiple online RCTs, using a citizen science approach. This project involves working with members of the public to co-design and conduct studies that answer questions of importance to them. The first trial to be conducted through this project is assessing the impact of bathing frequency on eczema. Methods This is an online, two-arm, parallel-group superiority RCT with internal pilot phase. People aged ≥1 year with eczemaliving in the United Kingdom are eligible. Exclusion criteria are: people with other types of eczema such as venous eczema, hand eczema and contact eczema; recently started a new eczema treatment; taking part in another eczema trial; Patient Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM) ≤2; planning to swim more than twice a week; unable/unwilling to change bathing practices. Participants are allocated 1:1 to either the weekly bathing group (bathe 1 or 2 times a week) or the daily bathing group (bathe 6 or more times a week) for 4 weeks. The primary outcome is POEM, assessed weekly over 4 weeks. Secondary outcomes include skin specific quality of life, eczema control, itch severity, use of usual eczema treatments, proportion who achieve an improvement in POEM of ≥3 points, global change in eczema and safety outcomes. A sample of participants will also be invited to a semi-structured interview to discuss their experience. The primary comparative analysis will be according to randomised allocation regardless of actual frequency of bathing. The trial will be reported in accordance with CONSORT guidelines. The study has received ethical approval by the London - Surrey Research Ethics Committee (2 Redman Place, London, E20 1JQ, United Kingdom) on 11/10/2023 ( approval number: 23/PR/0899). Trial registration ISRCTN12016473, 22/11/2023, https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN12016473
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2633-4402
Relation: https://openresearch.nihr.ac.uk/articles/4-63/v2; https://doaj.org/toc/2633-4402
DOI: 10.3310/nihropenres.13659.2
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/2f196f49b76a4866a149eff9b5aa3424
Accession Number: edsdoj.2f196f49b76a4866a149eff9b5aa3424
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:26334402
DOI:10.3310/nihropenres.13659.2
Published in:NIHR Open Research
Language:English