Research question

Think about
1. bacterial overgrowth and pouchitis

2. antibiotics in everything we eat, effect on gut microflora, possible triggers for UC

3. ?correlation between high fructose corn syrup and UC

Wonderful idea Joe,
Anything to do with diet and UC, modern agriculture and all of its chemicals etc...I am sure that you will find a ton of subjects related but anything that can open the general public's eyes on the subject and spread info and knowledge would be wonderful!
Sharon

Joe,

One area of research that is of interest to me has to do with the possible damage incurred by the tight junctions connecting the epithelial cells in the intestines. If something is inhibiting or interfering with the integrity of the tight junctions (especially the claudin proteins), then perhaps the intestines are more permeable to pathogens, which then precipitates an immune response and subsequent inflammatory cascade.

As I mentioned in another post, I've suffered from eczema for many years and have noticed that dairy products exacerbate it. Given that the surface of the skin is lined with epithelial cells, perhaps there is a protein in dairy, such as casein, which is weakening the tight junctions there. I've just applied this same logic to the gut.

What are your thoughts on this?

quote:

2. antibiotics in everything we eat, effect on gut microflora, possible triggers for UC

This is one that I've been curious about for many years - and not just regarding UC. It seems that it could possibly trigger all sorts of things.

Good luck on your research and hopefully you discover the big answer!

kathy

What genes predispose someone to UC?

Is hookworm (hygiene hypothesis) an effective treatment for UC?

How does the body respond to a J-Pouch? (what are all of the physiological changes that go hand in hand with the surgery?)

Can a c-diff infection trigger UC?

Alternatively, are c-diff infections common for someone admitted to Hospital with UC?

How many UC cases are non-responsive to current treatment options (nothing but surgery saved my life)?

Why fecal microbiota transplantation be not being offered as a treatment and possible cure for uc. Thereis an excellent.article at i have uc/fmt

- Genetic link to UC/IBD

- UC vs. Crohns and/or indeterminant colitis: flipsides of the same coin? - what percentage of patients eventually have their diagnosis changed? How often after the initial dx is the 'new' diagnosis confirmed? Also, did the dx actually change, or was the patient initially misdiagnosed? Or, is there really not much difference in UC vs. Crohns other than how the disease originally manifests?

- Is UC really more prominent in northern hemisphere, western nations, or is it just reported/properly diagnosed in these regions more often?

-The role that diet plays in UC and specifically the growing debate over whether reducing consumption of carbs, sugars and processed foods can ameliorate symptoms. This debate may be a hotter button topic in the context of pouchitis (Dr. Bo Shen is a leading expert who advocates reduction of carbs and sugars in pouchitis patients), but it has some interest with UC as well. One of my best friends just learned his 6 year old niece has UC and he and his sister have been getting into fights over the the young girl's diet. My friend takes the position that the girl is consuming too much sugar (lots of candy and soda) and pastas, and she should not be eating these foods. His sister seems to think it doesn't matter. Perhaps your research can assist in resolving this family feud? At stake is the future health of this young 6 year old girl, which of course is unknown at this time.