Study of immunological factors in non-inflammatory bowel disease enterocutaneous fistulae.
Mr Goher Rahbour, Clinical Research Fellow
St Marks Hospital, London
Co-researchers: Ms Carolynne Vaizey, Mr Janindra, Dr Ailsa Hart, Dr Simon Gabe
Project summary
An enterocutaneous fistula is a connection between the bowel and the skin. Almost all form after surgery and lead to a number of serious and debilitating complications. These include the need for patients to have a temporary or permanent feeding line placed into a neck vein through which formulae feed is passed on a daily basis.
They often cannot be cured by standard medical management which is attempted for several months to years. Further surgery is very demanding, prolonged and requires vast skill. It has several significant risks including death.
Currently the patient’s options are either to have surgery with its extensive risks or to live with this debilitating condition for the rest of their life.
A cytokine is a substance secreted by specific cells of the immune system which carry signals locally between cells, and thus have an effect on other cells. Infliximab is a drug which works by counteracting a cytokine which causes inflammation called tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF- α).
A case series has reported that patients with persistent enterocutaneous fistulae associated with non-inflammatory bowel disease have healed following use of Infliximab. We believe TNF-α is present in these fistulae. To date no studies have been undertaken to assess therapies such as Infliximab or to measure TNF- α.
We want to see if TNF- α is present in non-inflammatory bowel disease enterocutneous fistulae. If it is, there will be potential for patients to receive Infliximab to heal their fistulae and hence avoid the risks of major surgery.
This page was last updated on 12-11-2010