Environmental Factors in the Aetiology of Autoimmune Liver Disease
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Environmental Factors in the Aetiology of Autoimmune Liver Disease (E-AILD)
IRAS ID
166616
Contact name
David EJ Jones
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 9 months, 31 days
Research summary
Our immune system normally protects us by attacking bugs that cause infections. Occasionally a person’s immune system starts to attack the body instead. In autoimmune liver diseases (AILDs) an over-aggressive immune system attacks the liver resulting in damage leading to liver failure and cirrhosis (severe liver scarring). The main AILDs are Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (PBC), Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) and Autoimmune Hepatitis (AIH). All three are rare diseases. People who develop AILDs need treatment to dampen down the immune system; many need lifelong treatment and some eventually need liver transplantation.
The AILDs are likely due to a combination of genetic factors and environmental triggers. Some evidence suggests that there are groups of people affected by PBC where the disease is more common than in the general population. This may suggest that environmental factors around these groups are linked to disease development or severity.
This study will gather information on where all patients with AILD live in the North of England and look for clusters of patients. All patients will be asked to complete a questionnaire about the environment around them. Areas around clusters will be examined to look for chemicals/factors that may be linked to the development or progression of disease. If chemicals are found we will look for them in people with and without AILDs using blood samples. We will store the information and samples safely, so that they can be used to answer questions about AILDs that may come up in future. We will also ask people for permission to contact them or their doctors in the future if there are new studies in which they might be interested in participating.
This study is funded by the National Institute for Health Research and coordinated by Newcastle University and Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (the sponsoring organisation).
REC name
South West - Cornwall & Plymouth Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/SW/0048
Date of REC Opinion
12 Mar 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion