SECURE-DERM was a close international collaboration between clinicians, scientists and patients to collect anonymized data concerning patient outcomes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The SECURE-DERM initiative consisted of two physician facing registries, SECURE-Alopecia and SECURE-AD. In addition, there was a patient survey (SECURE-AD Patient Survey) that allowed patients with atopic dermatitis to report their experiences of having had COVID-19 and/or COVID-19 vaccinations.
COVID-19 has created an unprecedented global public health emergency. Most patients exhibit mild-to-moderate symptoms and recover without consequences, however around 15% develop severe symptoms needing hospital care, and some patients have a prolonged illness or develop “long-COVID”. There was an urgent need to better understand the risk factors leading to poorer outcomes in people with alopecia or atopic dermatitis who are treated with or without systemic medication.
There was also a need to better understand how people with atopic dermatitis tolerate COVID-19 vaccinations, especially those that are on systemic medication, or who have concerns regarding efficacy and side effects of the vaccination. Additional questions regarding COVID-19 vaccination were added in June 2021 in response to concerns about vaccinations voiced by patients and international atopic dermatitis organisations.
The SECURE-DERM project offered to link the international clinical, scientific and public health dermatological communities with the common aim of gathering observational data on COVID-19 outcomes in alopecia and atopic dermatitis on a global scale.
SECURE-AD and SECURE-Alopecia were web-based registries for clinicians to report COVID-19 outcomes in atopic dermatitis and alopecia respectively. Both registries received robust support from major international dermatological professionals and patient organisations. Clinicians worldwide were encouraged to participate in this collaboration.
This collaboration was sponsored by National & International Skin Registry Solutions CLG, Dublin Ireland (a registered charity RCN 20205667).