Skin Disease

The European Society for Dermatology \& Psychiatry (ESDaP) studies the connection between the skin and the mind. Two previous studies of this type were conducted in 13 and 15 European countries, respectively. The first study assessed the psychological impact of skin diseases (anxiety, depression, sleep disorders), and the second analyzed feelings of stigma, stress, and body dysmorphic disorder (an abnormal perception of one's body). In this study, new psychological variables will be examined: coping strategies, loneliness, and resilience. A total of 23 centers will participate in the ESDaP3 study, located in 15 European countries (Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, North Macedonia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United Kingdom). The aim of this study is to examine coping strategies, loneliness, and resilience among patients with a skin condition. Coping strategies refer to the various ways a person uses to manage a difficult or stressful situation. Resilience refers to a person's ability to cope with difficult situations, adapt to changes or challenges, and regain a sense of balance despite obstacles. Other factors will be assessed: sleep, anxiety and depression, and quality of life. A questionnaire will be given to your potential partner to assess the impact of the skin condition on their life at this time. At the study's sole French site, Brest University Hospital, 250 patients with a skin condition and 125 people without a skin condition will be enrolled.

Stigma due to health conditions increases disease burden and adversely impacts health. The internalization of health-related stigma is associated with impaired mental health and quality of life. The current project will test the effects of a novel, transdiagnostic, group counseling intervention, and peer support, to determine the optimal method for helping patients cope with health-related stigma, reducing its internalization, and enhancing patient quality of life.

This prospective observational cohort study aims to investigate the longitudinal changes in the skin and gut microbiome of burn patients after injury and compare them with healthy controls. Burn injuries are known to induce systemic physiological and immune responses that may lead to widespread microbial dysbiosis (microbial imbalance) beyond the injured site. However, the dynamics of microbial community changes in both burned and non-burned skin, as well as the gut, remain poorly understood. In this study, a total of 660 participants will be enrolled, including 600 burn patients and 60 healthy controls. For burn patients, skin swabs from burned scars and matched non-burned skin, stool samples, and physiological skin measurements will be collected at multiple time points (baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months). Healthy controls will provide skin and stool samples at baseline only. Microbial profiling will be performed using 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing, and functional prediction will be analyzed using Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States 2 (PICRUSt2). Physiological skin-barrier measurements, including transepidermal water loss (TEWL), hydration, pH, erythema, and elasticity, will be assessed using standardized instruments. Blood biomarkers, including C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), will also be measured. The findings of this study will improve our understanding of burn-related microbial dysbiosis, provide insights into microbiome-driven skin-barrier recovery, and inform potential therapeutic strategies for long-term burn care.