Serological markers in the diagnosis of Crohn’s disease
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluation of antibodies to peptide antigens from Mycobacterium paratuberculosis (Mptb) and comparision with routine serological Saccharomyces cerevisiae(ASCA) antibody test in the diagnosis of Crohn’s disease.
IRAS ID
37843
Contact name
Brian Ford
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Epsom nd St Helier University Hospital NHS Trust
Research summary
Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease(IBD) of the intestinal tract. It’s cause is unknown but many agents have been implicated including Mycobacterium patatuberculosis, listeria, pseudomanas species. Crohn’s disease is characterised by inflammation,exacerbations and remission.Crohn’s disease is becoming increasingly recognised in children of all ages. The onset has two age peaks: the first and largest peak occurs between the ages of 15-30 years; the second smaller peak between 60-80 years.
Diagnosis and management of IBD is a challenge to patients, families and the health care team. Currently diagnosis of IBD requires a combination clinical signs symptoms, radiography, endoscopy and bowel histology. An accurate diagnosis and distinction between other conditions that can present with similar symptoms like ulcerative colitis(UC) and other diarrhoeal diseases is important for management and treatment.Blood tests looking for antibodies baker’s yeast(anti-saccharomyces antibodies,ASCA) are currently used as screening tools for patients presenting with signs and symptoms of IBD. The specificity of these is lacking and sensitivity ranges from 40-73%. While these tests aid in the diagnosis of IBD, they are not ideal in distinguishing between CD and UC. other antibody tests have been produced to see if diagnosis could be improved but these have not made it to routine testing. A mycobacterium, M paratuberculosis(Mptb)has been found in cattle with Johnnes’ disease which exhibits similar symptoms to Crohn’s disease. In a small study,antibodies to specific peptide from this Mptb were detected in a higher proportion of sera of patients with with Crohn’s disease compared with Ulcerative colitis. We would like to evalute antibodies to these peptide antigens further in IBD and also compare these with the routinely used ASCA antibodies and see if this can potentially increase the specificity of the diagnostic tests. Further, these antibody responses as markers of the disease may help to understand its etiology.REC name
South Central - Oxford C Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/SC/0201
Date of REC Opinion
16 Apr 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion