Impact of dietary salt on skin sodium and inflammatory skin disease

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This trial tests whether reducing dietary sodium affects skin sodium levels and disease severity in people with atopic dermatitis or psoriasis, using a noninvasive sodium MRI to measure skin sodium. Participants follow a DASH-style low-sodium diet and alternate between daily sodium chloride tablets and placebo in a randomized cross-over design over 13 weeks, with multiple clinic visits for questionnaires and samples. The study aims to generate pilot data to explore potential links between salt intake, skin sodium content, and inflammatory skin disease activity. Healthy controls will have skin sodium scans only at baseline, while patients with eczema or psoriasis will track symptoms alongside biomarker data.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* Participants ages 18 years
* Willing and able to undergo non-contrast MRI.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Contraindications to MRI (such as cardiac pacemakers, claustrophobia, non-compatible intracranial vascular clips, IUDs, or other implants)
* A cardiac event in the past 6 months
* Impaired function of the liver or kidney (glomerular filtration rate \<60 mL/min)
* Medications that influence sodium excretion (e.g., diuretics or SGLT2 inhibitors)
* Antibiotic or immunomodulatory medications within the last month
* Contraindications to sodium tablets

(Topical medications used exclusively on the head/neck or hands/feet (e.g., antifungal nail treatment, antidandruff shampoo, acne cleansers) are acceptable. Topical and systemic eczema treatments are acceptable if the participant has been on a stable dose for at least 2 months and still meets the severity entry criteria. Patients on dupilumab will not be excluded if they have been on dupilumab for at least two months and still meet the disease severity inclusion criteria.)

Where it's running

• UCSF Mt Zion Campus
  San Francisco, California, United States Recruiting
• San Francisco VA Medical Center
  San Francisco, California, United States Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Katrina Abuabara, MD — University of California, San Francisco
• Study coordinator: Alicia Hamblin
• Email: Alicia.Hamblin@ucsf.edu
• Phone: 925-549-7889

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

• Testing a new hydrogel for treating mild to moderate eczema

  This study is testing a new hydrogel called zabalafin to see if it helps people with mild to moderate eczema feel better compared to a placebo.

  Recruiting at 12 sites Phase 2 Alphyn Biologics · Brookvale, New South Wales and 11 other locations · NCT06855745

• Herbal ointment for treating atopic dermatitis

  This study is testing a herbal ointment made from a plant to see if it can help people with atopic dermatitis feel better.

  Recruiting Phase 2/3 En Chu Kong Hospital · New Taipei City · NCT06850311

• HB0017 Injection safety and PK in low-weight adults at different injection sites

  This early-phase study tests a single subcutaneous HB0017 injection in healthy, low-weight adults and compares how the body processes the drug when injected at different sites.

  Recruiting Phase 1 Huabo Biopharm Co., Ltd. · Hangzhou, Zhejiang · NCT07920861

• Roflumilast Cream 0.3% for moderate to severe atopic dermatitis in children, adolescents, and adults

  A cream called roflumilast 0.3% is tested once daily to see if it helps people with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis, compared to a non-medicated cream, across ages 6 and up.

  Recruiting at 4 sites Phase 3 Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc. · Birmingham, Alabama and 3 other locations · NCT07916480

• MK-8644: first-in-human test in healthy people and people with psoriasis

  This early-phase study tests MK-8644 versus placebo in healthy volunteers and people with psoriasis to see if it is safe and tolerable.

  Recruiting Phase 1 Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC · Melbourne, Victoria · NCT07850310

• Is XJH05 Ointment Effective for Plaque Psoriasis?

  This study tests whether the XJH05 ointment can help people with plaque psoriasis compare to a calcipotriol ointment.

  Recruiting Xijing Hospital · Xi'an, Shaanxi · NCT07780929

How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.