Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust is playing a significant role in the ACESO study, a clinical trial focused on improving outcomes for adult patients hospitalised with acute severe ulcerative colitis. The study is exploring whether adding the medication upadacitinib to intravenous steroids can reduce the need for further medication or surgery.
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the large intestine. Currently, approximately half of patients treated with intravenous steroids require additional medication, and one-third still need surgery. The ACESO study aims to improve these statistics.
Sponsored by Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and managed by the Hull Health Trials Unit, the trial is being conducted at 28 NHS sites across the UK. The Digestive Diseases Unit at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust is among the study’s top-performing recruitment sites, with over 245 patients participating nationwide so far.
Professor Shaji Sebastian, IBD Service Lead Clinician at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Chief Investigator for the study, praised the contribution of MTW's Associate Principal Investigator, Dr Silas Muthuchand, and the wider Digestive Diseases Unit's research team. He stated, “High-performing sites such as MTW are essential in generating evidence and advancing research that has the potential to improve patient care.”
Dr Paul Blaker, Consultant Gastroenterologist and MTW’s Principal Investigator for the trial, highlighted the potential impact of the study. He commented, “By exploring new ways to treat acute severe ulcerative colitis, the ACESO study could help more patients recover without needing further medication or surgery, improving both outcomes and quality of life for people with the condition.”
Further information about the ACESO study can be found on the Hull Health Trials Unit website.
