Meditation in Inflammatory Dermatosis

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Atopic Dermatitis, Psoriasis, Pruritus

In brief

Psoriasis and atopic dermatitis are multifactorial inflammatory dermatoses, with a very high prevalence, reaching more than 120 million patients in the world. Although the physiopathological mechanisms are not yet clearly defined, these inflammatory dermatoses involve an interaction between the immune system and the epidermal cells, severe skin inflammation and often very intense pruritus. The objectives of an effective management should be to treat lesions in order to reduce them, but also to reduce itching and allow the patients to accept and cope with their pathology, without neglecting an improvement in the "Dermatology Life Quality Index" (DLQI) and in the psychological state, sometimes depressive, of the patient. Itching is defined as "a feeling that needs to be scratched urgently" and can cause significant distress along with pain. It severely impacts the quality of life and the quality of sleep. Chronic itching is associated with increased stress, anxiety, and other mood disorders. In turn, stress and anxiety exacerbate the itching, leading to a vicious cycle of pruritus - scratching that affects patient behavior (excessive scratching) and worsens disease prognosis and quality of life. Much research over the past few decades has demonstrated the effect of mindfulness meditation on emotional and cognitive responsiveness, cognitive flexibility, rumination, self-compassion and mindfulness, but also on acute pain, anxiety, stress, depression, cardiovascular disease, eating disorders, cancer and cognitive loss with age. Several studies have shown the impact of mindfulness on brain function and immunity, with evidence for the association between mindfulness and changes in the levels of markers characteristic of immune system activity and inflammation, known to be increased in psoriasis or atopic dermatitis. The objective is to evaluate the effect of mental training in the regulation of stress and emotions through mindfulness meditation in patients with moderate, itchy atopic dermatitis or psoriasis, not treated with systemic agents (e.g.: biotherapies). This project is based on the premise that mental training in the regulation of stress and emotions through meditation would reduce the effects of the infernal itch-scratch cycle, alleviating pruritus, thus improving the well-being and mental health of patients while reducing their inflammatory skin lesions and limiting the appearance of new lesions.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT05500794
Run by: Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris
People needed: 72
Starts: 2022-11-15
Expected to finish: 2026-05-15
Last updated by the study team: 2024-09-19

Who can join

Age: 0 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

Patient aged 18 years old or older
With health insurance coverage
Significant pruritus defined by a Visual Analogical Scale (VAS) pruritus ≥ 4
Patient with plaque psoriasis
Without joint involvement
Mild to moderate severity (PASI>10)
DLQI > 10
OR Patient with atopic dermatitis:
Mild to moderate severity (SCORAD>10)
DLQI > 10
Diagnosis according to Hanifin and Raijka criteria
Patient in a stable psychological state
French langage spoken

You may not qualify if…

Current systemic treatment or treatment discontinued within the last month
Psychiatric illnesses diagnosed according to the DSM-5 or ICD-10 international criteria of psychotic disorder, severe anxiety disorder, depressive disorder with a current depressive episode of severe intensity, bipolar disorder with a current depressive or manic episode
Taking psychotropic or neuroleptic treatments
Participation in another interventional research study or being in the exclusion period at the end of a previous study, if applicable
Patient under AME

Where it is running

Hôpital Saint-Louis — Paris, France (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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