Hospital trust at forefront of research

PARENTS in Barnsley have been signing up their babies to take part in an international research study looking to find a new treatment for Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) in children.

The condition, common in young children, is caused by stomach acid coming up from the stomach into the oesophagus.

Barnsley Hospital is one of only three hospital trusts in the country to be taking part in the international study, which focuses on a treatment for children under the age of one who suffer from the condition.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Children have been signed up to a trial of Rabeprazole, a medicine that aims to control the condition, which previously had not been offered to babies as it was not available in a soluble format.

Dr Rajeev Gupta, consultant paediatrician at Barnsley Hospital , said: “The key to successfully recruiting participants in the trial has been explaining all the details about the condition and the new medicine to the parents.

“It is also about offering a continued level of support. I am always available to answer any questions or concerns parents have.

“So far we are very pleased with what we are seeing, as are the parents of children involved.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“They have been recording symptom changes through diaries and some of the observations noted include reduced crying, improved sleep and weight gain.”

The results of the trial from all international centres need to be collated for the official analysis of the outcome, which is expected next year.

Mark Howells from the Medicines for Children’s Research Network said: “To set up this sort of study in a local hospital takes a lot of hard work.

“However, what Barnsley Hospital has achieved is the type of success that puts Trusts on the research map and is particularly important because it shows that commercial research can successfully be done in a local district hospital as opposed to larger, teaching Trusts.”

Related topics: