Evaluating quality of life in Muslim IBD patients
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A comparison of the quality of life of Muslim patients with ulcerative colitis after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis vs permanent ileostomy.
IRAS ID
141577
Contact name
Carolynne Vaizey
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Northwest London NHS Hospitals
Research summary
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory disease of the large bowel and rectum that causes diarrhoea, abdominal pain and weight loss. Surgical removal of the bowel becomes necessary when medical therapy fails. Restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) is a procedure where the large bowel is removed, a new rectum in fashioned using the remaining small bowel and joined to the rectum or anal canal. It has become the preferred surgical treatment for patients with severe ulcerative colitis. Almost 40,000 patients in the UK have chronic UC and it is estimated that approximately 30% of these patients will ultimately require surgical removal of the bowel during their disease life-course. This has resulted in a notable increase in IPAA procedures to treat UC across the UK. Some patients with UC however opt for surgery that results in a permanent stoma, avoiding the complications associated with IPAA surgery. \nMaintaining bowel continuity following surgery for colorectal cancer is superior to sphincter sacrificing surgery for Muslims given their strict hygiene requirements for the five times daily prayer. Muslims with stomas report a lower quality of life (QoL) compared to those who maintain bowel continuity. IPAA surgery would therefore seem to offer improved outcomes and minimal religious disruption in Muslim patients over stoma surgery; but this remains unanswered. \nIn this study we aim to use QoL questionnaires to directly compare QoL outcomes in Muslim patients with UC after IPAA against Muslims that opt for permanent ileostomy. This study also aims to look at QoL differences between Muslim and non-Muslim groups in order to ascertain factors which are unique to Muslim groups. Results from this study will allow clinicians to fully understand the implications of each surgical procedure in Muslim groups which may aid appropriate counselling during the pre-operative stage \n
REC name
East of England - Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/EE/0214
Date of REC Opinion
23 May 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion