Recipient: Anthony Catto-Smith
Value: $75,000
March 2017
Cardiovascular Phenotype in Children with Chronic Inflammatory Disease (CUPID study)
The reduction of cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of mortality and the most expensive disease group in Australia, is a National Health Priority. Atherosclerosis, the pathology underlying CVD is a chronic inflammatory condition that starts in early life.
In adults, there is increasing evidence that inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with an adverse cardiovascular phenotype. Children with IBD theoretically also carry increased cardiovascular risk in addition to the potential life-long consequences of the underlying disease.
The CUPID study aims to increase the understanding of the relationship between paediatric IBD and cardiovascular risk, facilitating the development of preventative strategies and identification of populations who would benefit most. The CUPID is assessing intermediate cardiovascular phenotypes – non-invasive measures of arterial structure and function that are thought to predict later cardiovascular risk and disease. This study involves close collaboration between the Gastroenterology Department, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne and the Infection and Immunity Group, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.
CUPID is a cross-sectional case-control study investigating the cardiovascular intermediate phenotypes of children with established IBD, including non-invasive macro- and micro-vascular assessment, and biomarkers of inflammation and adverse cardiovascular status. It is, as far as we are aware, the most detailed cardiovascular assessment of children with IBD to date. The study is aiming for 80 patients with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis of at least six months duration aged 7-18 years, and 80 age-and sex matched controls.
The study currently has 66 children with IBD and 66 healthy comparison participants. Each of the 66 IBD patients and 66 comparison participants have had fasting plasma glucose, lipid profile, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), abdominal aorta intima-media thickness (aIMT), and retinal vascular calibre performed. Recruitment is nearing completion and analysis of the above measures has commenced.
For further information:
Professor Anthony G Catto-Smith
Image: Assessment of the carotid artery by ultrasound
