Salt in the Skin and Eczema

Sodium in the Skin and Atopic Dermatitis: The SIS-AD Study

NIH-funded research University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11187118

This project tests whether high salt in the diet and skin makes atopic dermatitis worse and whether lowering salt can help people with eczema.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of California, San Francisco NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (San Francisco, United States)
Project IDNIH-11187118 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

From a patient's perspective, researchers will measure how much sodium is stored in the skin and track participants' salt intake and skin barrier health. They will compare skin sodium levels with eczema severity and how long symptoms last. The team will look at whether people with higher skin sodium have more inflammation linked to atopic dermatitis. They will also explore if reducing dietary salt or skin sodium storage could improve symptoms.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People with atopic dermatitis who can complete dietary tracking and attend skin testing visits, including outreach to Black/African American participants, are the ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People without atopic dermatitis or those whose eczema is unlikely driven by salt-related inflammation may not see benefit from this approach.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to simple changes like lowering salt intake to ease eczema symptoms for some patients.

How similar studies have performed: Previous studies link skin sodium and inflammation, but applying this idea specifically to atopic dermatitis and testing dietary reduction is a relatively new approach.

Where this research is happening

San Francisco, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.