Additional information for CF care teams, pharma colleagues, researchers and research funders.
CF Care Teams
Many CF care teams report ongoing challenges in managing gastrointestinal symptoms in their patients — from a lack of effective treatment options to limited understanding of underlying mechanisms.
If this reflects your experience, the GRAMPUS-CF Strategic Research Centre is working to address these gaps.
Our aim is to support better understanding and evidence-based approaches to gut health in CF, through collaborative research and engagement with clinical teams.
What do we want to find out?
Which symptoms are most troublesome to people with CF?
Do symptoms “cluster” together in a different ways for affected individuals?
Are different treatments needed for different “clusters”?
We will test these treatments in future trials - these may be new or repurposed drugs, dietary changes or something else entirely.
What will my patients need to do?
We are inviting people with CF to complete gut symptom questionnaires and a food diary online on three occasions, 6 months apart.
They will need to complete online questions on their gut symptoms every day for 8 days, and complete a food diary for 24 hours, shown in the diagram below.
They can take part by following the link to our GRAMPUS-CF Online sign up page.
You can read the participant information sheet below
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria: People with CF aged 12 years and over, with or without symptoms are eligible to take part.
Exclusion criteria: Those with co-existing bowel conditions such as crohns disease or coeliac disease.
What can you do to help?
Encourage people with CF attending your CF Centre to take part in GRAMPUS-CF Online
If you’d like more information, please contact us at grampuscf@nottingham.ac.uk
Pharma colleagues, researchers and research funders
Interested in collaborating with the GRAMPUS-CF Strategic Research Centre?
Contact us at grampuscf@nottingham.ac.uk
Read our published work
Calthorpe R, Goodchild N, Gleetus V, Premakumar V, Hayee B, Elliott Z, Evans B, Rowbotham N, Carr S, Barr H, Horsley A, Peckham D, Smyth A. A grumbling concern: an international survey of gastrointestinal symptoms in cystic fibrosis in the modulator era [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]. NIHR Open Research. 2023;3.18. https://doi.org/10.3310/nihropenres.13384.1
Rowbotham NJ, Smith S, Elliott ZC, Cupid B, Allen LJ, Cowan K, Allen L, Smyth AR. A refresh of the top 10 research priorities in cystic fibrosis. Thorax. 2023;78:840-3 http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/thorax-2023-220100
Marsh R, Gavillet H, Hanson L, Ng C, Mitchell-Whyte M, Major G, Smyth AR, Rivett D, van der Gast C. Intestinal function and transit associate with gut microbiota dysbiosis in cystic fibrosis. J Cyst Fibros. 2022;21:506-13 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcf.2021.11.014
Dellschaft NS, Ng C, Hoad C, Marciani L, Spiller R, Stewart I, Menys A, Barr H, Gowland PA, Major G, Smyth AR. Magnetic resonance imaging of the gastrointestinal tract shows reduced small bowel motility and altered chyme in cystic fibrosis compared to controls. J Cyst Fibros. 2022;21:502-5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcf.2021.12.007
Ng C, Dellschaft NS, Hoad CL, Marciani L, Ban L, Prayle AP, Barr HL, Jaudszus A, Mainz JG, Spiller RC, Gowland P, Major G, Smyth AR. Postprandial changes in gastrointestinal function and transit in cystic fibrosis assessed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging. J Cyst Fibros. 2021;20:591-7 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcf.2020.06.004
Smith S, Rowbotham N, Davies G, Gathercole K, Collins SJ, Elliott Z, Herbert S, Allen L, Ng C, Smyth A. How can we relieve gastrointestinal symptoms in people with cystic fibrosis? An international qualitative survey. BMJ Open Respir Res. 2020;7:e000614. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjresp-2020-000614
Rowbotham NJ, Smith S, Leighton PA, Rayner OC, Gathercole K, Elliott ZC, Nash EF, Daniels T, Duff AJA, Collins S, Chandran S, Peaple U, Hurley MN, Brownlee K, Smyth AR. The top 10 research priorities in cystic fibrosis developed by a partnership between people with CF and healthcare providers. Thorax 2018; 73(4): 388-90. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/thoraxjnl-2017-210473
