(PRWEB) June 17, 2004
The Foundation for Clinical Research in IBD recently awarded a grant to Andrew S. Ross, MD, and David T. Rubin, MD, at The University of Chicago. Drs. Ross and Rubin will conduct a pilot study to determine if Wireless Capsule Endoscopy can more effectively distinguish ulcerative colitis from CrohnÂs disease.
Ulcerative colitis and CrohnÂs disease are two types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Ulcerative colitis affects only the colon (the large intestines). CrohnÂs disease can be found in any part of the gastrointestinal tract.
Up until now, physicians have used standard endoscopy, a patientÂs history, and radiological studies to determine if a patient has ulcerative colitis or CrohnÂs disease. Any evidence of disease in the small intestine indicates CrohnÂs disease. Yet, standard endoscopies are unable to visualize the entire small intestine, and a proportion of patients initially diagnosed with ulcerative colitis have later learned that they have CrohnÂs disease.
Wireless Capsule Endoscopy  the Âcamera in a pill  may allow physicians to make a more definitive diagnosis. The color video camera can record as many as 50,000 images of the digestive tract during an eight-hour period. In theory, it would allow physicians to see substantially more of the small intestine and to detect any signs of CrohnÂs disease.
Drs. Ross and Rubin will enroll 116 patients in their study. Half will have active ulcerative colitis. The other 58 individuals will have no indication of either ulcerative colitis or CrohnÂs disease. Both groups will undergo Wireless Capsule Endoscopy. Two independent examiners, who will not know which study participants have ulcerative colitis, will review the results of the endoscopies.
ÂWe expect that a significant proportion of patients with ulcerative colitis will have small bowel involvement, says Dr. Ross. ÂIf our hypothesis is correct, it will tell us one of two things: those patients actually have CrohnÂs disease or their disease pathology indicates that another type of IBD has yet to be identified. In either case, gastroenterologists will be better able to treat these patients disease.Â
For more information about this groundbreaking study, visit the FoundationÂs Web site at http://www.clinicalresearchinibd.org.