Diet intervention as a prebiotic treatment for active ulcerative colitis

Details of Research

Contact: Joanne Stempak, Project Manager
416-586-4800 ext 8399
Joanne.Stempak@SinaiHealth.ca

Primary Investigator: Mark Silverberg, MD
Enrolment: Ongoing

Sponsor: National Institute Health
Objective: To determine if a sustainable non-elemental diet can affect the severity of active Ulcerative Colitis (UC) by altering the microbiome.

Eligibility: Any Mount Sinai Hospital (MSH) patient who has a confirmed diagnosis of Ulcerative Colitis. Patients must be willing to consume an 8-week study diet provided to them and willing to undergo 2 colonoscopies, 10 weeks apart. Patients must also be on a stable dose of medication for a minimum of a month prior to enrollment.

You are NOT eligible for this study if:
•    You do not have confirmed diagnosis of Ulcerative Colitis
•    You are currently in endoscopic remission
•    You plan on changing medications or treatment options for Ulcerative Colitis
•    You are planning on changing your smoking habits
 
Participation:
Participation involves:  
•    Providing the study team with information regarding your family history and disease activity
•    Providing us with permission to review your medical information regarding IBD
•    Consuming study meals designed by a dietitian and produced by a professional chef for 8 weeks
•    Undergoing 2 endoscopies, 10 weeks apart
•    Filling in 3-day food diaries prior to your sample collections and a food frequency diary before beginning
•    Providing stool and blood samples intermittently throughout the study (every 2 weeks)
•    Allowing us to follow you for 10 weeks

Background information:
Environmental factors like microbiome and diet play a significant role in the risk of Ulcerative colitis (UC), a type of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) involving the large intestine. Individuals with UC may have an overall lower gut bacteria (microbiome) diversity and a reduced quantity of certain types gut bacteria. This is thought to affect the permeability of the intestinal barrier and influence gut inflammation. Therefore, altering the microbiome of UC patients may have a positive effect on disease activity by reducing inflammation.

A high protein and low fiber diet may be linked to intestinal inflammation, onset of symptoms and flares. A sustainable non-elemental diet consisting of low protein and high fiber foods, is used as a probiotic tool in our study to modify the gut bacteria in individuals with IBD. The goal of this study is to have a better understanding of how the microbiome is influenced by diet and to set the groundwork for a clinically validated diet for IBD patients.
We would like to sincerely thank all of our study participants. This research couldn't be possible without your cooperation.

Please contact Joanne Stempak (phone 416-586-4800 x8399) if you are interested in participating in this study.