Research and Innovation Local grandmother with multiple sclerosis is helping researchers to prevent urine infections
Summer 2019
prevent UTIs. Ann was invited to take part in January 2018 and said: “I found out about the study through the MS nurse at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, who referred me to a researcher practitioner, Jamil Razzaque, who explained the study. The risk factor was minimal as the drug had already been tested and it was just a case of whether the drug suits people and does the trick. Unfortunately, losing control of the bladder is a very common part of MS, so I do suffer with UTIs. I was pleased to try and do something that would help with the UTIs and I haven’t had one since taking part.” Ann said of her decision to take part in the study: “I’ve had two or three UTIs and they do make you feel very ill all over your body. They’re almost undetectable until the last minute – you don’t realise you have one until you are poorly. They can be painful because you get a lot of burning and an uncomfortable tummy. They cause you to be ill in the rest of your body. I have to take enough pills as it is, so if this study keeps me from needing antibiotics, that would be great.”
Ann, a 75 year old, retired cake decorator with multiple sclerosis (MS) is taking part in the PReSUTINeB at Stoke Mandeville hospital. The study is looking into preventing urine infections in people with spinal conditions. Multiple sclerosis is a condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks a healthy part of the body such as the brain or spinal cord. Ann was diagnosed with MS in 1997 aged 54 and retired in 2003 as she began to frequently lose her balance and fall. MS can cause fatigue, difficulty walking and problems with balance and co-ordination. Spinal conditions cause a loss of bladder control, which often leads to urinary tract infections (UTIs). These occur when bacteria enters the bladder, urethra or kidneys and can lead to a burning sensation when urinating, incontinence, fever, headaches and nausea.
Mr Maurizio Belci, the study’s lead investigator, said: “Antibiotics, which are used to prevent and treat UTIs, are becoming less effective as the bacteria that cause these infections are becoming more resistant to them. The PReSUTINeB study is looking at immunotherapy treatment made from the bacteria E. coli, which is the most common cause of UTIs, to see if it can help prevent these infections.” The study is led by Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust with funding and support from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and charity Stoke Mandeville Spinal Research, which funds research into spinal cord injuries. Contact James Cooper via email james.cooper9@nhs.net or call 01296 418140 for more information. Participating in health research helps develop new treatments, improve the NHS, public health and social care and save lives. Patients are encouraged to ask their doctor about research opportunities or search www.ukctg.nihr.ac.uk.
Patients on the study take oral vaccine tablets known as immunotherapy for three months to see if this can For further information about research opportunities at Bucks Healthcare NHS Trust please contact the Research and Innovation Department at Stoke Mandeville hospital on 01296 316065 or see the website at www.bhtresearchandinnovation.org You can also follow us on Facebook or Twitter @BHTResearch