Dear THESEUS Team,

A recent James Lind Alliance exercise identified shared priorities for research in hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) (http://www.jla.nihr.ac.uk/priority-setting-partnerships/hidradenitis-suppurativa/top-10-priorities/).  Eight of the top ten priorities focus on treatment uncertainties, including medical and surgical management issues and the treatment of acute flares and long-term disease.

Following this, the NIHR’s Health Technology Assessment programme has called for a research study into the management of HS.

The RSTN is collaborating with the UK Dermatology Clinical Trials Network (UKDCTN) who funded the James Lind Alliance exercise to prepare a submission to the NIHR in response to the call.

Question

What are the best management options for HS when first line treatments fail?

Plan

1. Separate national surveys of surgeons and patients to inform the NIHR application. These surveys will be critical in describing the landscape of treatment of HS across the UK, identifying variation in practice, and clarifying the feasibility of different future studies.  The study of surgeons will harness the RSTN to ensure comprehensive national coverage

1. If successfully funded by NIHR, the main project will comprise a national non-randomised study with prospective and retrospective elements, qualitative research exploring clinician and patient decision-making, and a consensus-building exercise. It is anticipated that this will lead to a national randomised controlled trial in HS.

Register your interest

The clinician surveys have been completed. A submission to the NIHR is in development. If you have an interest in HS and would like more information, please email theseus.study@gmail.com.

Acknowledgements:

The Theseus Steering Group would like to acknowledge data contributed by: Alice Wignall, Anais Rosich-Medina, Rajshree Jayarajan, Sandra McAllister, Catriona Luney, Matthew Gardiner, Kshem Senarath-Yapa.