Preventing eczema-related allergies by strengthening infants' skin barrier
SEAL (Stopping Atopic dermatitis and ALlergy) Study: Prevent allergy by enhancing the skin barrier
This project will see if using a trilipid skin cream plus proactive mild topical steroids in infants with early dry skin or eczema lowers their chances of developing food allergies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11418544 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If your baby shows dry skin or early eczema within the first 10 weeks, this trial would enroll them and randomly assign them to either proactive skin care or usual reactive care. Proactive care includes regular use of a trilipid emollient and planned short courses of mild topical steroids to prevent flares, while the comparison group receives standard reactive treatment when problems arise. About 750 infants will be followed over time with regular skin checks, allergy testing, and tracking of any diagnosed food allergies. The team aims to see whether reducing eczema severity and duration prevents allergen sensitization through the skin and lowers later food allergy rates.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are infants identified within the first 10 weeks of life who have early dry skin or signs of eczema but have not yet developed food allergies.
Not a fit: Infants who already have diagnosed food allergies, older children beyond the early infant window, or babies without dry skin or eczema are unlikely to benefit from this prevention approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce the number of infants who develop food allergies by preventing allergen sensitization through damaged skin.
How similar studies have performed: Previous trials like LEAP and EAT showed early oral exposure can prevent peanut allergy, while prior emollient-based eczema prevention trials have had mixed results, so this combined proactive skin-plus-steroid approach builds on promising but not settled evidence.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nadeau, Kari C. — Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health
- Study coordinator: Nadeau, Kari C.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.