Developing Classification Criteria for Juvenile Systemic Sclerosis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Developing Classification Criteria for Juvenile Systemic Sclerosis
IRAS ID
332344
Contact name
Clare Pain
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Alder Hey Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
Systemic sclerosis is an autoimmune condition that causes inflammation, changes in blood vessels, and thickening and scarring of various organs, including the skin, heart, lungs, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract. Juvenile systemic sclerosis (jSSc) affects children and is associated with high morbidity and a significant risk of mortality. This condition is rare and can be challenging to identify, resulting in limited studies done on jSSc. Current treatment plans for affected children are derived from studies conducted in adults.
Adult systemic sclerosis and jSSc have different disease patterns and therefore current treatment plans for children may not be the most appropriate. This study will aim to develop a classification criterion for jSSc. This classification criteria will help researchers worldwide conduct studies on jSSc which will then lead to an increase in our understanding of the condition and how best to treat it. The information gathered during this study can also be used by doctors and healthcare professionals to help diagnose jSSc in children and it can measure how well current medications improve symptoms.
To create this classification tool, we will gather data from participant medical records. This will include information from children with jSSc as well as children who have been diagnosed with conditions similar to jSSc (referred to as jSSc mimickers in this study). This comprehensive dataset will allow us to distinguish more effectively between the features of jSSc and its mimickers, and therefore develop a set of criteria that are more accurate for identifying jSSc in children.
REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/WM/0180
Date of REC Opinion
13 Aug 2024
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion