Making IBD easier on our kids

Could a simple blood test replace the need for colonoscopies in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)?

We’re supporting Dr Teagan Edwards, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Otago, Christchurch with a $109,992 grant to find out.

More than 20,000 New Zealanders have IBD, with up to a quarter diagnosed as children or adolescents.

“Typically, when a child presents to their doctor with signs and symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease they’re put through a barrage of tests, including blood and faecal tests. But the ones that are currently available don’t always give clinicians a full understanding of what’s going on,” says Dr Edwards.

Colonoscopies are often used to paint a clearer picture, but Dr Edwards believes there could be a less-invasive solution.

Through her two-year project, she’ll assess the suitability of a new blood test that measures the level of myeloperoxidase, an enzyme produced by immune cells, to detect the amount of inflammation happening inside the body. “If we had a blood test that could accurately reflect disease severity in children with inflammatory bowel disease, we could reduce the number of colonoscopies they require and enable earlier diagnosis and more effective disease monitoring.

“This ultimately means these children can spend more time out of the hospital and enjoying their childhoods,” Dr Edwards says.

Dr Edwards says receiving funding for the project was fantastic news. ?

“I'm so grateful that the Canterbury Medical Research Foundation has made this research possible. We know invasive testing can cause a great deal of stress for kids and their family, so if we can find an alternative option I know it’ll make the world of difference.”

Dr Teagan Edwards is a University of Otago, Christchurch Department of Paediatrics researcher. She has a particular passion for translational research in the field of inflammatory disease.