Iron deficiency and quality of life in IBD
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Iron deficiency and quality of life in IBD: Prospective cohort study of iron (III) isomaltoside 1000 (Monofer) on quality of life and work productivity in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
IRAS ID
251943
Contact name
Nicholas Alexander Kennedy
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
This research proposal builds on a new collaboration between the Exeter Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) group and the Departments of Psychological Medicine and Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Exeter that aims to understand the mechanisms underlying quality of life (QoL) and depression among people with IBD.
The inflammatory bowel diseases, Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), are incurable relapsing and remitting inflammatory disorders of the gastro-intestinal tract with a globally increasing incidence.
Anaemia is a frequent complication of IBD; half of these patients are iron deficient, and active disease is the major determinant of this. IBD patients who are anaemic report QoL scores comparable with cancer patients.
Recent prospective studies of iron supplementation in adults with IBD, have demonstrated improvements in QoL when even mild iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is corrected. The mechanism by which iron therapy leads to improvements in QoL is unknown.
We think that improvements in Qol following intravenous (IV) iron therapy are seen because a patient has an increased ability to undertake physical activity, including being more able to work and exercise and this is linked to improvements in mood and cognitive function.
We plan to observe IBD patients physical activity levels, mood and biomarkers before and after IV iron, to measure the benefit this has on a patients QoL, over the course of a year.
REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/NE/0081
Date of REC Opinion
12 Apr 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion