Fellow
Kennedy Gallagher, BA
Thomas Jefferson University
Mentor
Amy Paller, MD
Northwestern University
Overview
Atopic dermatitis (AD), also known as eczema, is the most common inflammatory skin disorder. Sleep disturbance occurs in most children affected by AD and has devastating consequences on health and quality of life. Dupilumab is an injection medication approved for the treatment of moderate/severe AD in children, with preliminary data demonstrating improvement in sleeplessness with use. Although ongoing studies have focused on the connection between dupilumab and sleep in adults, further investigation is required to quantify effectiveness in children. We will perform a study to evaluate the impact of 12-weeks of dupilumab treatment on circadian function, sleep, and itch via self-reported and objective sleep assessments. We hypothesize the results of this study to provide evidence supporting the use of dupilumab to improve sleep disturbance and itch. Results may also help to further define the mechanism by which treatment improves inflammation and circadian function in pediatric patients with AD.
Status
This project was funded through a 2024 PeDRA Research Fellowship Grant.
