ROSS study

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Optimizing Raynaud Phenomenon Outcome Measures in Systemic Sclerosis (ROSS)

  • IRAS ID

    277306

  • Contact name

    John D Pauling

  • Contact email

    JohnPauling@nhs.net

  • Sponsor organisation

    Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    1 years, 11 months, 30 days

  • Research summary

    Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) is the term used to describe episodic vasospasm of the blood vessels in the fingers and toes in response to cold exposure. It is a major cause of disease-related morbidity in systemic sclerosis (SSc). A major concern is that flawed clinical trial design and outcome measures for SSc-RP have contributed to the failure to have an approved medication for SSc-RP. The objective of this study is to develop and study both functional and patient-reported outcome measures in SSc-RP. We have identified four critical knowledge gaps in SSc-RP that if answered will improve clinical trial design if we can address the following objectves.

    Objective 1: To establish the more reliable and patient-preferred method to quantify RP burden by assessment of RP attack frequency and duration.

    Objective 2: To refine and validate a novel multi-domain PRO instrument for assessing SSc-RP grounded in the patient experience of SSc-RP: the Assessment of Scleroderma-associated RAyaud’s Phenomenon (ASRAP) questionnaire.

    Objective 3: To ascertain the effect size and variability in both RP attack burden and SSc-RP PROs that occurs with seasonal variation.

    Objective 4: To determine whether cold-challenge or ischemia-reperfusion provocative testing has greater reproducibility and validity in SSc-RP.

  • REC name

    London - City & East Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    21/LO/0497

  • Date of REC Opinion

    15 Jul 2021

  • REC opinion

    Favourable Opinion