Establishment of a cohort for long-term observation of occupational dermatological patients for whom the so-called "Molecular Classifier" for differentiating between atopic eczema and psoriasis was performed

Status:

ongoing

Aims:

In the course of medical care with the German statutory accident insurance patient are identified having special skin findings at hands and feet. It could be diagnosed as an eczema as well as psoriasis palmoplantaris.

Even for the experienced clinician it is difficult coming to a reliable clinically morphologically characterization. Histopathological preparation too doesn’t ensure a safe distinction between psoriasis and an eczema. However the special predicament is that the selection of therapy, especially the system therapy, is guided by an early and above all differential diagnosis. It can be assumed that an earlier diagnosis enables a more rapid and effective treatment and hence a healing of the skin disease.

That leads to fewer days missed because of sickness, fewer costs and fewer occupational diseases. The project envisages the establishment of a cohort at Heidelberg University Hospital. It is planned to include n=282 cases with the suspected diagnosis "palmoplantar eczema, DD psoriasis palmoplantaris" or vice versa. A skin biopsy is to be taken by the resident dermatologist. By Technical University (TU) Munich, Clinic for Dermatology, the molecular classifier is performed. In Heidelberg, a database with patient data will be set up and the insurant will be contacted every six months.

Primary endpoints:

• the number of sick leave days in 1-year follow-up and
• the number of patients reporting a job leave due to the skin disease.

These two endpoints will then be compared to existing reference values from the ROQ study (control group). Data from n=224 patients with suspected diagnosis of palmoplantar eczema, Psoriasis palmoplantaris are available.

Activities/Methods:

The dermatologist in charge of the treatment will deliver an information leaflet and obtain the written consent of the insurant. This includes that the result of the molecular classifier may be forwarded by the TU Munich to the study center in Heidelberg, including the transmission of the patient's contact details. Permission to contact the patient through the study center in Heidelberg is also obtained with the informed consent. The study center will contact the patient at semi-annual intervals to obtain the endpoint-relevant data and send the appropriate questionnaires, e.g. EQ-5D, QOLHEQ, DLQI. The time required for the study participants is approximately 20 minutes per contact. This results in a total time expenditure of about two hours for a sum of six contacts throughout the study.

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