Colonic Motility in Constipation and Ageing (version 2.0)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Colonic motility and gut microbiota composition in constipation and ageing
IRAS ID
177058
Contact name
Mark Scott
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Queen Mary University of London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 7 months, 30 days
Research summary
The reason chronic constipation (CC) becomes more common with age is not fully understood. New studies suggest that bowel contraction patterns, dietary fibre and gut bacteria are important and may differ in older people. Since CC reduces quality of life and is a major reason why elderly are admitted to hospitals and residential care, there is a need to understand how these factors change with age.
Currently, placing a pressure-sensing catheter inside the large intestine (pan-colonic manometry) is the gold-standard way to measure how well it contracts. However this involves a camera test (colonoscopy) which is invasive with risks of bowel perforations (~80/100,000). The risk is higher with age (64-80yr: ~90/100,000; 80+yrs: ~120/100,000), making it unethical for elderly.
A technique called the 3D-Transit System has been developed, involving a small ingestible capsule, containing a 'trackable' electromagnet. By tracking movements of the capsule swallowed by participants, it provides precise detailed information on the capsule progression inside the whole gut and large bowel’s contractile activity in real-time. It is minimally-invasive and radiation-free, making it possible to assess elderly for the first time.
This study aims to assess how bowel contraction patterns, dietary fibre intake and gut bacteria differ between young and older adults (with and without CC), to better understand why CC is more common in elderly.
It is a pilot, 4 arm, single centre, observational study involving 60 women aged 18-40 years and 70-90 years (15 non-constipated and 15 with CC for each age group). The study lasts 3 weeks, containing 2 weeks of run-in period and 1 week of study period.
The four groups participants will be asked to: swallow 2 capsules to assess their large bowel’s contractile function using the 3D-transit system; provide stool samples to analyses their gut bacteria; and complete questionnaires to assess their gastrointestinal symptoms.REC name
London - Bromley Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/1039
Date of REC Opinion
23 Jun 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion