Inflammatory Bowel Disease / Crohn's

DESCRIPTION OF STUDY:

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

This research does not involve treatment but is a research opportunity for patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease that involves taking blood samples to be stored for later research. The purpose of this study is to carefully examine the genetic material (DNA) of individuals with specific types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Genetic information will be correlated with the clinical characteristics of each individual's inflammatory bowel disease. It is hoped that genetic information will lead to a more clear understanding of the cause of inflammatory bowel disease. Additional information will be collected from the parents of the individuals with inflammatory bowel disease so that potential inherited aspects of the disease may be studied.

Types of patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease that are needed for the study:
1. If you have small bowel Crohn's disease and have had it for at least 5 years.
2. If you have large bowel Crohn's disease and have and it for at least 5 years.
3. If you have Crohn's disease with fistulas.
4. If you have Crohn's disease and were diagnosed before you were 14 years old.
5. If you have Ulcerative Colitis and also have sclerosing cholangitis.

Principal Investigator: Kim L Isaacs, MD
Study Coordinator: Dolly Walkup, RN

Phone: 919-843-8105
Fax: 919-843-6899

Email:dwalkup@med.unc.edu