The research conducted at the Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition Institute covers all aspects of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn's and ulcerative colitis) in children. This includes understanding the causes of disease outbreaks in children, evaluating disease treatment and improvement, developing and constructing measures and mechanisms to assess disease progression in children, as well as conducting clinical trials with existing and new devices for treating these diseases.
The GEM (Genetic Environmental Microbial) study is a comprehensive international research aimed at discovering the causes of inflammatory bowel diseases. In this pioneering study, we follow 5,000 healthy family members (siblings or children) of Crohn's patients for 6 years to identify why some of them will develop the disease while others won't. This research is led in Israel by the Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition Institute at Shaare Zedek Medical Center and involves 13 leading medical centers in Israel, as well as numerous centers in Canada and the USA.
The ImageKids study is another large international research project initiated by Prof. Dan Turner (Director of the Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition Institute at Shaare Zedek Medical Center). Its goal is to develop measures for assessing bowel damage and disease activity in children with Crohn's disease, using non-radiating MRI techniques. This study aims to reduce the need for invasive endoscopic procedures in children and to provide an accurate measurement of bowel damage and inflammation. It involves 28 leading centers in North America, Europe, Australia, and Israel.
Furthermore, the institute is involved in nine simultaneous genetic, clinical, experimental, and epidemiological studies.
Notable completed research projects in 2014, published in leading newspapers, include:
- Identifying clinical and endoscopic predictors for the course of severe colitis in children. The study found that a non-invasive clinical measure calculated three months after treatment initiation is a strong predictor of disease activity and the need for hospitalization and surgery within 1-3 years from diagnosis.
- The largest study to date on the use of the medication methotrexate in Crohn's disease. Data from 330 children with Crohn's disease treated with this medication in seven centers in Israel, Europe, Canada, and the USA were collected to examine whether oral administration of the drug is as effective as the current injection method. The study found that oral administration was effective in disease control over time and with no excess side effects, though not at the same level as the injection method.
- Establishing the appropriate dosage for corticosteroid treatment in hospitalized children with severe colitis. The study showed that there was no difference in hospital outcomes between high and low-dose corticosteroid administration, allowing for lower doses and reducing the risk of side effects.
- The "Tasty and Healthy" international research, led by Prof. Dan Turner, is taking place in 15 different centers in Israel and around the world, including Shaare Zedek, Sheba, Beilinson, Assaf Harofeh, and others in Israel, as well as centers in Canada, the USA, Italy, South Korea, Germany, Poland, Belgium, and more. The goal of this research is to assess the impact of the "Tasty and Healthy" dietary approach on inducing remission, maintaining remission, and achieving mucosal healing in children and young adults with Crohn's diagnosed between ages 6-24 or within 3 years at ages 6-40. The approach avoids processed and pro-inflammatory foods and is not based on a strict diet with specific ingredients, nor does it require the use of formula.
These research endeavors enhance the understanding and treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases in children and contribute to medical knowledge in the field.