What is the Mini-MUSIC study?

The Mini-MUSIC study is a year-long observational research study for children and young people with IBD. Study appointments occur at 3 time points (0, 3 and 12 months) over this year.

The Mini-MUSIC study is the paediatric arm of the adult IBD MUSIC study making this research an all-ages IBD study.

We hope that this study will unlock new scientific insights into what causes and drives gut inflammation in paediatric inflammatory bowel disease.

During the year follow-up period, blood, stool and saliva samples are taken for scientific analyses. If you or your child are undergoing an endoscopy during the one-year study follow-up, additional intestinal biopsy samples will be taken.

Research Objectives

We aim to investigate two things:

How damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) or 'danger signals' could be used as a test of disease activity in children and young people with IBD (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis or IBD-unclassified). We want to find out if DAMPs can tell us how your IBD is doing and if DAMPs can tell us more about how your bowel is compared to the current blood and stool tests available today.

How do the bacteria in the mouth and the rest of your gut (your microbiome) change in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis and can these be used to predict disease activity?

Why Take Part?

  • Mini-MUSIC runs in conjunction with existing NHS IBD treatment by your paediatric IBD clinical team. The research team simply aims to monitor you or your child closely as the condition hopefully improves. You or your child will remain being cared for by your IBD team.
  • We will aim to organise research study appointments at the same time as NHS appointments to minimise the impact on school and work.
  • It may be a learning opportunity. Knowing more about the condition and its treatment may help you or your child get back to full health as soon as possible.
  • You will be contributing to the latest research, the long term goal of which is to find more effective treatments and ultimately a cure for IBD.

Who Can Take Part?

We are looking for patients:

  • Age 6 to 17 years
  • Who have a diagnosis, or suspected diagnosis, of Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) or or IBD-unclassified (IBDU)
  • Who have been referred by one of their NHS doctors
  • Based in our 4 Scottish paediatric IBD centres in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee

What is Involved?

This is a 12-month follow-up study that will involve 3 appointments over the course of one year. We plan to closely monitor your clinical progress alongside the scientific work which we will carry out. We will take 25ml extra blood (around 2 tablespoons) during your standard NHS blood tests along with a saliva and stool sample. No extra endoscopies are required however, if you are having an endoscopy as part of your normal treatment we will ask for some additional biopsy samples.

During the follow-up period, we will gather information on how you are doing, which will be shared with your treating NHS clinician.

This may allow them to make treatment adjustments and check on how you're doing more closely than usual. For full details, please read the age-specific patient information sheet.

  1. 0

    Start

    1. Questionnaire
    2. Blood samples
    3. Stool sample
    4. Saliva sample
    5. +/- Extra endoscopy sample
  2. 3

    3 Months

    1. Questionnaire
    2. Blood samples
    3. Stool sample
    4. Saliva sample
    5. +/- Extra endoscopy sample
  3. 12

    12 Months

    1. Questionnaire
    2. Blood samples
    3. Stool sample
    4. Saliva sample
    5. +/- Extra endoscopy sample

Participating Centres

name

Edinburgh

Royal Hospital for Children and Young People

Principal Investigator(s)

David Wilson

name

Glasgow

Royal Hospital for Children

Principal Investigator(s)

David Wands

name

Aberdeen

Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital

Principal Investigator(s)

Iain Chalmers

name

Dundee

Tayside Children's Hospital

Principal Investigator(s)

Richard Hansen