Project overview
The BATHE study found that the bath emollients did not help childhood eczema.
In this study children aged 1 to 11 with eczema were randomly allocated to 2 groups: (1) standard eczema treatment plus bath emollient and (2) standard eczema management without bath emollient. Parents or carers completed weekly diaries including a questionnaire about eczema severity.
Most children's eczema improved a bit over the study year but there was no real difference between the two groups in how much they improved. The paper is published in the BMJ and the full HTA report can be found on the 'Publications' tab. A video summary can be found on the Bathe website.
Although we found that pouring bath emollients into the bath water doesn't help, it is still really important to use leave-on emollient moisturisers and to use emollient products where these help to avoid soap.
We are very grateful to all the families and practices who helped us to answer this question. We hope that it will help to make sense of what treatments are worth spending time and money on.
In this study children aged 1 to 11 with eczema were randomly allocated to 2 groups: (1) standard eczema treatment plus bath emollient and (2) standard eczema management without bath emollient. Parents or carers completed weekly diaries including a questionnaire about eczema severity.
Most children's eczema improved a bit over the study year but there was no real difference between the two groups in how much they improved. The paper is published in the BMJ and the full HTA report can be found on the 'Publications' tab. A video summary can be found on the Bathe website.
Although we found that pouring bath emollients into the bath water doesn't help, it is still really important to use leave-on emollient moisturisers and to use emollient products where these help to avoid soap.
We are very grateful to all the families and practices who helped us to answer this question. We hope that it will help to make sense of what treatments are worth spending time and money on.
Staff
Lead researcher
Other researchers
Collaborating research institutes, centres and groups
Research outputs
,
L Howells,
S Gran,
J R Chalmers,
B Stuart,
L. Bradshaw,
D M Gaunt,
M J Ridd,
L A A Gerbens,
P I Spuls,
C Huang,
& K. S. Thomas
, 2021
, Skin Health and Disease Open Access
, 1 (3) , e42
DOI: 10.1002/ski2.42
Type: article
Kate Rumsby,
Matthew J. Ridd,
Beth Stuart,
Amanda Roberts,
Lyn Liddiard,
Claire Nollett,
Julie Hooper,
Martina Prude,
Wendy Wood,
Emma Thomas-Jones,
Kim S. Thomas,
Hywel C. Williams,
, 2018
, Health Technology Assessment
, 22 (57) , 1--116
DOI: 10.3310/hta22570
Type: article
Matthew Ridd,
Beth Stuart,
Kate Rumsby,
Amanda Roberts,
Lyn Liddiard,
Claire Nollett,
Julie Hooper,
Martina Prude,
Wendy Wood,
Kim Thomas,
Emma Thomas-Jones,
Hywel Williams,
, 2018
, British Medical Journal
, 361 (8151)
DOI: 10.1136/bmj.k1332
Type: article
Beth Stuart,
Kate Rumsby,
Matthew Ridd,
Carla Spreadbury,
M Steele,
Claire Nollett,
Lyn Liddiard,
Martina Prude,
Julie Hooper,
Emma Thomas-Jones,
Amanda Roberts,
Kim Thomas,
Hywel C. Williams,
, 2018
, Trials
, 19 (1)
Type: article
Kate Rumsby,
Matthew J. Ridd,
Beth Stuart,
Wendy Wood,
Amanda Roberts,
Kim S. Thomas,
Hywel C. Williams,
, 2015
, BMJ Open
, 5 (10)
Type: article