The SKIN Study & STOP AD
What are the SKIN Study and STOP AD?
These studies are about preventing eczema and food allergy. Eczema is the most common skin disease of childhood, affecting 20% of children in Ireland. Children with eczema have relatively “leaky skin”, as eczema affects the barrier function of the outer layer of skin called the epidermis. This “leakiness” allows high levels of water loss out through the skin and can allow infection and allergens to move in through the skin, possibly causing allergies to substances that cannot enter the body as easily through normal skin. The “leakiness” reflects low levels of some natural moisturising factors (NMFs) in the skin, which can be linked to the filaggrin (FLG) gene, the gene most strongly linked to eczema. Skin barrier structure (NMF content) can be measured painlessly using a machine called a Raman spectroscope. Skin barrier function can be also be measured painlessly using a machine that measures transepidermal water loss (TEWL) – that is the water that is lost through the outer layer of skin. Our previous research from the CORK BASELINE Birth Cohort Study has shown that measuring TEWL in babies in the first 2 months of life may help to identify those who are at higher risk of having eczema during infancy and food allergy at 2 years.
The SKIN Study is a range finding pilot study which is needed to establish the range of NMF and TEWL values in a healthy neonatal population. These data will be used to inform the STOP AD intervention trial, which will investigate the effect of early skin barrier protection on the prevention of eczema and food allergy in high risk children.