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Contact the study team using the details below to take part. If there are no contact details below please ask your doctor in the first instance.

Contact Information:

Dr Chris Probert
+44 (0)151 795 4010
Chris.Probert@liverpool.ac.uk


Dr Marcus Auth
+44 (0)1512284811
marcus.auth@alderhey.nhs.uk


Dr Marcus Auth
+44 (0)1512284811
marcus.auth@alderhey.nhs.uk


Study Location:

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Be Part of Research - Trial Details - BioEvocs - Testing the 'poo sniffer' in children and young people with eosinophilic esophagitis
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BioEvocs - Testing the 'poo sniffer' in children and young people with eosinophilic esophagitis

Recruiting

Open to: All Genders

Age: Child

Newcastle upon Tyne London Sheffield Liverpool London

Medical Conditions

Eosinophilic esophagitis

This information is provided directly by researchers, and we recognise that it isn't always easy to understand. We are working with researchers to improve the accessibility of this information. In some summaries, you may come across links to external websites. These websites will have more information to help you better understand the study.


Many children and young people coming to our clinics have problems with their tummy (gastrointestinal system). We do special tests to find out what their illness is so that we know what treatment they need. An important illness that we see is eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE). This is when the lining of the gullet becomes sore (inflamed) leading to problems of swallowing, food stuck in the gullet and ongoing gastro-oesophageal reflux. At present, we need to perform one or many camera tests repeated (endoscopy) for this illness when children are fully asleep (under general anaesthetic).
Endoscopy is when we look inside the tummy with a camera. It is done under general anaesthetic so that the patient doesn’t feel anything.
So far for EoE no bedside test (biomarker) exists to tell us if the gullet and tummy are inflamed for any reason. That means we have to repeat an endoscopy every time when a change in treatment (medicine or diet) is needed for EoE. We want to see if doing a simple stool sample helps more to inform us if treatment with medicines or diet is working.
The new test measures the many different gases (volatiles) that give stool its smell. The volatiles come from the contents and lining of the bowel and are affected directly or indirectly by gut bacteria in the stool and we can measure them in the lab with special instruments. Volatiles will also be affected by the nutrition and metabolism of nutrition/nutritional compounds. Some illnesses change the volatiles and we want to see if measuring them gives us an extra way of finding out about active EoE. If successful, this may mean we do not need so many endoscopies. Also, the new test may allow us to tell if medicines or diet change gut bacteria in a positive, healthier way. We also want to see if measuring the volatiles again in young people who turn out to have EoE is a good way of monitoring whether their treatment is working. Finally, measuring the volatiles in stool may tell us more about what causes EoE and gullet (oesophageal) disease.

Start dates may differ between countries and research sites. The research team are responsible for keeping the information up-to-date.  

The recruitment start and end dates are as follows:

24 Oct 2023 30 Aug 2025

Participants are requested to bring in (donate) a stool sample.


Patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and patients coming to participating hospitals either with problems of their gullet (oesophageal controls) or patients without tummy problems who come to the eye clinics (ophthalmology patients).

You can take part if:



You may not be able to take part if:


1. Patients unable to provide a faecal sample2. Patients and parents unable to give informed consent3. Previous colonic resection4. Patients on an elemental diet unrelated to EoE5. Current or treatment with systemic antibiotics in the previous 4 weeks6. Patients with known chronic gastro-intestinal infection or chronic diarrhoea7. Patients with confirmed and clinically significant irritable bowel syndrome


Below are the locations for where you can take part in the trial. Please note that not all sites may be open.

  • The Royal Victoria Infirmary and Associated Hospitals NHS Trust
    Queen Victoria Road
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    NE1 4LP
  • Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
    Chelsea & Westminster Hospital 369 Fulham Road
    London
    SW10 9NH
  • Sheffield Childrens Hospital
    Western Bank
    Sheffield
    S10 2TH
  • Alderhey
    Eaton Road West Derby
    Liverpool
    L12 2AP
  • Great Ormond Street Hospital Central London Site
    Great Ormond Street
    London
    WC1N 3JH

The new test on the poo sample will be done at the end of the study with all the other stool samples. The result of the new test will not be used in the diagnosis or monitoring of illness. However, it is hoped that the new test will help children and younger people in the future. The researchers do not think that this study will cause any problems.

Dr Chris Probert
+44 (0)151 795 4010
Chris.Probert@liverpool.ac.uk


Dr Marcus Auth
+44 (0)1512284811
marcus.auth@alderhey.nhs.uk


Dr Marcus Auth
+44 (0)1512284811
marcus.auth@alderhey.nhs.uk



The study is sponsored by Alder Hey Children's Hospital and funded by National Institute for Health and Care Research; Guts UK; British Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology.



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Read full details for Trial ID: ISRCTN10653410

Or CPMS 56128

Last updated 05 February 2025

This page is to help you find out about a research study and if you may be able to take part

You can print or share the study information with your GP/healthcare provider or contact the research team directly.   

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