Eczema sufferers test out benefits of water softenersNovember 30, 2007In the very first trial of its kind in the world over 300 families are being recruited to find out if water softeners can help in the treatment of childhood eczema. The independent trial run by clinicians at The University of Nottingham has received funding of nearly £1million from the Department of Health's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme. The study will focus on hard water areas in Nottingham and Leicester, Cambridge, London and the Isle of Wight. The aim of the Soft Water Eczema Trial (SWET) is to discover whether eczema can be improved by deliberately softening all water used in the home - except at one tap in the kitchen which will supply mains water for drinking.
Families of eczema sufferers and some doctors have said that living in a hard water area may make eczema worse. Recently a team of researchers at The University of Nottingham found that eczema is more common in primary school children living in hard water areas in the UK compared with children living in soft water areas. No one really knows why, but it could be because hard water contains high levels of calcium and magnesium, leading to increased use of soaps which can act as skin irritants. Professor Hywel Williams and his research team at the Centre of Evidence Based Dermatology are running the trial. Professor Williams said: "I have wanted to do this study for many years as patients keep telling me that water softeners help their skin, but other people aren't so sure. Carrying out a proper randomised controlled trial will help us find the answer. If ion-exchange water softeners are found to improve the symptoms of eczema, this will be an extremely important finding for both patients and doctors. Many patients worry about the possible side effects of the usual treatments for eczema, so this would be a welcome addition to their treatment options." The study is in the process of recruiting 310 children between the ages of 6 months and 16 years who have moderate to severe eczema. They need to live within travelling distance of the four main centres: Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham; St Mary's Hospital in the Isle of Wight; Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge; and Chase Farm Hospital in Enfield. A centre is also planned for Leicester at the Leicester Royal Infirmary. Each child takes part in the trial for a total of 16 weeks. They are randomised into two groups - one will have a water softener installed in their homes for 12 weeks, the other for 4 weeks. The study has a dedicated research nurse at each of the four main centres and each child needs to visit their allocated clinic on four occasions during the 16 weeks. Trial Manager Karin Koller said: "The parents and children know which group they are in but the research nurses need to stay 'blinded' to the intervention in order not to bias their assessment of the children's eczema." Selection into the trial depends on a number of factors, including whether the family live in the right area and if a water softener can be installed in their home. Up to one fifth of all children of school age have eczema, along with about one in twelve of the adult population. The severity of the disease can vary. In mild forms the skin is dry, red and itchy, whist in more severe forms the skin can become broken, raw and bleeding. Eczema is not contagious and with treatment the inflammation of eczema can be reduced, though the skin will always be sensitive to flare-ups and need extra care and protection against dryness. The water softener industry (through their representative body, the UK Water Treatment Association) - is closely involved in the development of the trial and a generic water softener has been specially produced for the study. The industry is meeting the costs of producing and installing water softener units. The study findings will be quite independent from any industry influence. The trial will run until the end of next year and the results won't be known until the end of 2009 when all the information has been analysed. The University of Nottingham | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Related Eczema Current Events and Eczema News Articles Oral vitamin D may help prevent some skin infections A study led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine suggests that use of oral Vitamin D supplements bolsters production of a protective chemical normally found in the skin, and may help prevent skin infections that are a common result of atopic dermatitis, the most common form of eczema. Fishy diet in early infancy cuts eczema risk An infant diet that includes fish before the age of 9 months curbs the risk of developing eczema, indicates research published ahead of print in the Archives of Disease in Childhood. Aggressive treatment of childhood eczema could help prevent asthma, says new study The study, published online in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, calls for trials of aggressive therapies against childhood eczema in attempt to reduce the incidence of asthma in later life. Road pollution blamed for higher allergy risk in kids New evidence blames traffic-related pollution for increasing the risk of allergy and atopic diseases among children by more than fifty percent. What's more, the closer children live to roads, the higher their risk. Eczema still on the increase in developing countries Experts are warning policy makers that allergic disease might replace infectious disease as a major cause of ill health in cities undergoing rapid demographic changes in developing countries. Handling pesticides associated with greater asthma risk in farm women New research on farm women has shown that contact with some commonly used pesticides in farm work may increase their risk of allergic asthma. Research Finds Allergic Children Exposed to Peanuts at Younger and Younger Ages Despite Recommendations To Avoid Until Age 3 The age at which children are exposed to peanuts and have an allergic response has dropped significantly over the last decade, despite recommendations that at-risk families avoid exposing children to peanuts during the first three years of life. Scientists complete genome sequence of fungus responsible for dandruff, skin disorders Scientists from P&G Beauty announced that they successfully sequenced the complete genome for Malassezia globosa (M. globosa), a naturally occurring fungus responsible for the onset of dandruff and other skin conditions in humans. Drugstore in the Dirt French clay that kills several kinds of disease-causing bacteria is at the forefront of new research into age-old, nearly forgotten, but surprisingly potent cures. Treatment blocks pain without disrupting other functions A combination of two drugs can selectively block pain-sensing neurons in rats without impairing movement or other sensations such as touch, according to a new study by National Institutes of Health (NIH)-supported investigators. More Eczema Current Events and Eczema News Articles |
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