Assessing uptake of the Harmonising Outcome Measures for Eczema (HOME) Core Outcome Set and recommended instruments
Rosie Vincent, Joanne R Chalmers, CLARENCE A. McWILLIAMS, Kim S Thomas, Susanna Dodd, Natasha K Rogers, Matthew J Ridd, Jochen Schmitt, Jamie J Kirkham
Abstract
The Harmonising Outcome Measures for Eczema (HOME) initiative has recommended a Core Outcome Set (COS) for atopic eczema clinical trials1. Adherence to this COS in future clinical trials of atopic eczema treatments will ensure outcomes are measured and reported consistently, thus allowing direct comparison and minimising bias2. The COS consists of domains (what should be measured) and instruments (how to measure it). In 2011 four core domains were agreed i) clinician‐reported signs, ii) patient‐reported symptoms, iii) dermatology‐specific quality of life (QoL) and iv) long‐term control. EASI (Eczema Area and Severity Index, 2013) and POEM (Patient Oriented Eczema Measure, 2015) are the agreed instruments for signs and symptoms, respectively. EASI combines the severity of the signs of eczema with the extent to which the body is affected3, and POEM is a seven‐item questionnaire that captures the frequency of symptoms of eczema experienced over the previous week4. Using the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP), a network of international clinical trials registers, we sought to quantify uptake of the HOME core outcomes in clinical trials over time.