Eosinophilic Oesophagitis: Comparison of IgG4 levels
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Eosinophilic oesophagitis: A comparison of IgG4 levels in patients with proton-pump responsive disease versus non proton-pump responsive disease using the oesophageal string test.
IRAS ID
250898
Contact name
Efrem Eren
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Hospital Southampton NHS foundation trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 1 days
Research summary
This study is related to an immune-mediated chronic condition of the Oesophagus known as Eosinophilic Oesophagitis (EO). EO is clinically characterized by symptoms of; difficulty in swallowing, food impaction, inflammation of the oesophagus and when histopathologically tested by a raised number Eosinophils (>15 per higher power field). In approximately 30% of patients it is due to acid reflux and these patients are prescribed a drug called Omeprazole. Omeprazole in a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) and works by reducing the amount of acid the stomach produces. To diagnose these patients it quite often means they require two endoscopies; the first to make the initial diagnosis (following biopsies) and the second, to see if they have responded or not.
Some studies have shown in patients who do not respond to PPI they have large deposits of a certain Immunoglobulin (Ig) known as IgG4. Immunoglobulin's are antibody proteins found throughout the body (IgG4 is a subclass). We are interested to see if IgG4 is present in the oesophageal fluid of these patients. We will adopt the oesophageal string test (currently used to measure eosinophil biomarkers) and collect oesophageal fluid from patients to measure IgG4 levels using a technique called Radial Immunodiffusion (RID). There is no current literature of this being done and is what makes the research novel. If we are successful we could eliminate the need of a biopsy all together. The string test is quick, pleasant and less invasive compared to a biopsy and is easily performed in clinic.
Samples collected from patients with EO as part of a routine procedure will be used in this study. These samples will be collected over a period of 2 months and we estimate 30 samples will be tested.
REC name
London - Fulham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/1623
Date of REC Opinion
19 Sep 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion