A-STAR

The UK/Irish Atopic Eczema Systemic Therapy Register (A-STAR) was set up in 2019 as a project of the BAD. The primary objective of A-STAR is to assess the short-term and long-term safety and effectiveness of systemic atopic eczema treatments for children, young people and adults in ‘real world’ NHS practice. Secondary objectives are to assess the cost-effectiveness of these treatments and the creation of a bioresource, collecting tissue samples which can then be used for research.

Initial funding for the project came from the British Skin Foundation and the BAD. The study Coordinating Centre based at King’s College London and Guy’s & St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust.

A-STAR receives funding from pharmaceutical companies, but they are not directly involved in the study activities and not represented on the Steering Committee. More details are available here.

There are three committees which direct the activities of A-STAR:

• The Steering Committee provides strategic oversight of the study and ensures that the study meet its objectives.
• The Bioresource Committee plans and coordinates the collection and processing of biomaterial for studies to investigate the cause, prognosis, and treatment outcomes of atopic eczema.
• The Data Monitoring Committee provides independent oversight of the safety data collected for different drugs.

More information on the study committees can be found here.

There are currently 46 sites across the UK and 4 Irish sites recruiting patients into the registry, with an aim to expand to 50 by the end of 2024. See the map below:

A-STAR is keen to receive expressions of interest from other dermatology departments who would like to join. We encourage all BAD members and their departments to become involved with A-STAR. To join as a participating site, contact the co-ordinating centre at a-star@gstt.nhs.uk.