This research project will aim to examine the use of ultrasound scans for monitoring disease in paediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease. This is an area which is being explored in adult research, however it is under-utilised in children and young people.
The null hypothesis in this study is that there is no association between gut ultrasound findings and blood and stool tests of inflammation or disease activity scores in paediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease. The alternative hypothesis is that there is an association between ultrasound findings and these parameters. Regarding the follow up part of the study, the null hypothesis is that abnormal ultrasound findings have no correlation with either increase or decrease in treatment. The alternative hypothesis is that abnormal ultrasound findings correlate with increase in treatment and normal findings with no change or decrease in treatment.
A prospective feasibility observational methodology will be employed.
In terms of timetable for the study, preparation, including seeking of ethical and research and development alongside study logistics will be undertaken in the first 3 months. Participants will be recruited between months 4 and 18, with data collection and assessment over this time frame. Data will be analysed from months 6 to 24.
Recruitment of children will occur at a routine point of contact with paediatric gastroenterology services, i.e. inpatient review, outpatient attendance for infusion, clinic appointment or endoscopy, or through a virtual recruitment process, where deemed appropriate by the study team. Participants and their families will be provided with age-appropriate information and offered time to review these resources before obtaining consent. When recruited, study team will collect initial recruitment data, i.e. baseline characteristics. The investigating team will aim to arrange for ultrasound appointment as part of routine visit or during inpatient admission. On the day of ultrasound participants will attend the Noah's Ark children's hospital for Wales and scan will be undertaken. The trial team will review recent results (routine tests taken as part of normal care) at this point and then medical notes for clinical outcome up to twelve months after the scan. Results of project will be fed back to participants after study closure.
This project will be open to children with a diagnosis of IBD, according to the modified Porto criteria, aged between 2-19 years old. Only children without these diagnoses, those who have had surgery, which could act as a potential confounder in ultrasound findings, those outside of the age range and those belonging to families unable to give informed consent will be excluded. The information recorded from ultrasound scans will not be made available to the clinical team, therefore recruitment biases will be minimised. The target sample size of 50 children and young people has been set to achieve meaningful results and minimise statistical error. This figure is also based on other fledgling work in this area.
