Research conducted for Sanofi published in leading scientific journal

Findings from a study conducted by Research Partnership have recently been published by Springer Healthcare in Dermatology and Therapy, an international, open access, peer-reviewed, and rapid publication journal which reports on research, treatment and aesthetic interventions in dermatology.

Commissioned by Sanofi, the paper is titled ‘Physician Perception of Disease Severity and Treatment Outcomes for Children and Adolescents with Atopic Dermatitis in Emerging Economies’. The aim of the research was to identify treatment patterns and gaps in paediatric atopic dermatitis (AD) for patients and their families.

A total of 574 physicians treating children (aged 6–11 years) and adolescents (aged 12–17 years) with AD were recruited from eleven emerging economies including Argentina, Brazil, China, Colombia, Israel, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. Physicians were interviewed regarding their beliefs and behaviours relating to the disease. They also gave an initial assessment of patient disease severity and control, which was then compared with patient records and pre-specified criteria to assess concordance and discordance between physician perception and recorded patient presentation. The study found that AD severity of children (aged 6–11 years) and adolescents (aged 12–17 years) appeared to be underestimated by physicians in emerging markets. Practical, easy-to-use, and validated objective measures for assessment of disease severity and control, as well as effective use of novel therapies, are essential to ensure that patients are appropriately managed. The study suggested that improving how doctors measure the severity of a patient’s disease should help them select the most appropriate and effective treatments for their patients.

Research Partnership was responsible for the study design; enrolling respondents via fieldwork partners; performing analyses including statistical analysis; and preparing the study report, as well as reading and approving drafts of the manuscript. Commenting on the research, Associate Director Basil Fielding said: “We were privileged to work with KOLs from across the world and Sanofi to input into the production of this peer-reviewed paper that could make a profound difference to how children and adolescents with moderate-severe AD are assessed and therefore treated in emerging economies. AD is a condition which can have a huge social impact on paediatric patients, and we are proud that our work could lead to improved treatment which will result in a lessening of the social burden for these patients.”

Find out more about the paper