PRESCHOOL
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Protein signatures to diagnose and monitor chronic non-bacterial osteomyelitis - PRESCHOOL
IRAS ID
318724
Contact name
Christian Hedrich
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Liverpool
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Background: Approximately 1 in 3 children experience pain in their bones or joints which can significantly impact their wellbeing and development. Several causes can be \nresponsible including poor posture, joint disease, bone inflammation (a condition named chronic nonbacterial osteomyelitis/CNO), bone death (Perthes Disease/PD), metabolic diseases (hypophosphatasia/HPP), infections and cancer. All of these require treatment to manage pain and ensure lifelong health. The underlying causes of bone or joint pain have to be determined in a timely manner to allow effective treatment, but this is complicated by the lack of simple tests to prove or exclude one or other diagnosis. This often results in delays and involves costly and sometimes painful tests, including whole body imaging and bone biopsies.\nAim: This study will develop a blood test to distinguish bone inflammation (i.e. CNO) from the other causes of bone and joint pain. The blood test will be tested for its ability to measure CNO disease activity in response to treatment.\nObjectives: We will identify markers in blood tests to help separate CNO from other diagnoses. This will be achieved using recent technology, called ‘quantitative protein mass spectrometry’ which looks at all proteins in the human blood. We will also test the blood markers in patients with CNO to see if disease activity can be measured. Lastly, we will use complex computer prediction models to predict reasons for altered blood markers. This will inform future research directions into the causes of disease.\nImpact: This study will allow prompt diagnosis of CNO and the conditions which mimic it, enabling early and effective treatment and reducing cost to the NHS. A better overall understanding of why patients develop CNO will enable identification of new targets for novel treatments.
REC name
South West - Central Bristol Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/SW/0021
Date of REC Opinion
9 Feb 2023
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion