Harmonizing Outcome Measures and Developing Core Outcome Sets in Dermatology

An outstanding annual Cochrane Skin Group (CSG) meeting on the theme of “Harmonizing Outcome Measures and Developing Core Outcome Sets in Dermatology” was held on March 17th – 18th 2015, at the Centre for Evidence-based Healthcare, TU Dresden, Germany. The meeting represented the official launch of the the Cochrane Skin Group Core Outcomes Research Initiative (CSG-COUSIN ), which is being led by Professor Jochen Schmitt and his colleagues in Dresden under the auspices of the CSG.

Our co-ordinating editor, Professor Hywel Williams said at the start of the meeting: “One of the biggest obstacles in summarising the data in systematic reviews is the fact that so many different outcomes have been used in clinical trials. In atopic dermatitis for example, there are over 20 named scales and even more unnamed scales, yet it is rare for the same scale to be used in more than a few studies in the same way, making it virtually impossible to combine the studies in the form of a meta-analysis. Skin disease has lagged behind in terms of developing core outcome sets, and apart from progress in atopic dermatitis led by the HOME initiative (Harmonising Outcome Measures for Eczema), not a lot has happened. We can’t go on expecting researchers in the world to wake up and agree on core outcome sets that are valid, discriminatory and easy to use, so the Cochrane Skin Group is going to do something about it by the establishment of an inclusive research group dedicated to using the best methods to develop core outcome sets for a whole range of skin diseases.”

Talks at the meeting included an introduction to the rationale and current status of core outcome sets in dermatology, followed by experiences of those who have already started developing their own core outcome sets for skin conditions including advanced melanoma and vitiligo. Recently completed CSG reviews were also presented, as well as methodological talks such as the vexed question of whether very small studies trials should ever be excluded from a systematic review.

A meeting report is now in preparation that includes the concept, structure and process of CSG-COUSIN and how it will build on the HOME roadmap to help support other core outcome sets in dermatology.