Current Projects

Thank you for your interest in research into gastrointestinal conditions.

Clinical Trial of a new treatment for Coeliac Disease at RMH

Volunteers invited to participate

A clinical trial is now underway at The Royal Melbourne Hospital testing the place of enzyme therapy in gluten intolerance. The supplement may help many people with coeliac disease who, at some time or another, encounter difficulties maintaining a gluten free diet [1]. This work follows an earlier successful trial which was conducted at RMH under supervision of Professor Finlay Macrae [3].

We are seeking 20 people with a biopsy proven diagnosis of CD and who have been on a gluten-free diet for at least 6 months and have elevated (above normal) coeliac blood test (tTG) or  still suffer from symptoms. The preferred age group is 18-70 years.

The study will involve:

• approximately 5 visits to the hospital over ten weeks
• taking tablets three times a day with meals for six weeks
• two gastroscopies with biopsies, and two blood tests – one before the start of the treatment and the second at completion of the treatment with tablets
• trial will NOT involve a gluten challenge. 

Participants will be randomized to active enzyme therapy or control – which is the only way to establish efficacy of the therapy. 15 participants will receive active treatment and five will receive placebo.

The trial will be conducted under supervision of Professor Finlay Macrae, Head of Colorectal Medicine and Genetics at The Royal Melbourne Hospital.  Interested persons are invited to contact Virginia Bird, Study Co-ordinator - phone (03) 9342 8995. Email: virginia.bird@mh.org.au

H.J.Cornell

T. Stelmasiak

References:

1.Cornell H.J. and Stelmasiak T. Enzyme therapy gets big research boost. The Australian Coeliac. Dec.2006, p.47.

2. Cornell H.J. and Stelmasiak T. A unified hypothesis of coeliac disease with implications for management of patients. Amino Acids. 1-7, 2006. published online Springer-Verlag, Austria.

3. Cornell H.J., Macrae F.A., Melny J., Pizzey C.J., Cook F., Mason S., Bhathal P.S., Stelmasiak T. Enzyme therapy for management of coeliac disease. Scand. J.Gastroenterology, 40:1304-1312, 2005.