Stockport NHS Foundation Trust’s research and medical colleagues are supporting a patient with Crohn’s disease as they take part in a new treatment study for the condition.
Andrew Leadbetter 53, from Disley, has Crohn’s disease, and volunteered with Stockport NHS Foundation Trust’s Research and Innovation team for the treatment.
The study is placebo-controlled so patients may receive a placebo injection or the active drug. It is looking to see how safe and how effectively this drug works for patients with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease. Andrew is the first patient in the UK to take part in this particular study.
Crohn’s disease is a type of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, or IBD, where parts of the gut become swollen, inflamed, and ulcerated. This can cause pain, diarrhoea, weight loss, fatigue, and other symptoms too. It’s estimated over 500,000 people the UK have Crohn’s disease or the similar condition colitis.
It is hoped the new treatment will help alleviate conditions for people who have the condition in the future.
The lead gastroenterology consultant supporting Andrew with the treatment is Dr Wisam Jafar, supported by Rachel Campbell (advanced clinical practitioner), Dr Mehmood Mughal (research fellow) and the trust’s Research and Innovation Team, all based at Stepping Hill Hospital.
Andrew said he was very pleased to take part in the study, and added ““I have found the nursing staff really friendly and put me at ease, explaining everything to me, making me feel relaxed and well looked after…they keep me in the loop with everything going on. I’d be lost without them!”
Dr Wisam Jafar said “We are very grateful for Andrew taking part in this study. Medical advances are made possible by generous volunteers such as this, and we hope this particular study will be of use to people like Andrew with Crohn’s disease.”
