The CROCO Study: CROhn's Disease COhort Study

To join the CROCO Study, you must be an adult aged 18 or over and have been diagnosed with Crohn's disease within the last 12 months. It's important that you understand what the study involves and are happy to give your written consent to take part.

There are some reasons why you might not be able to join. For example, if you are pregnant, have a serious medical condition that means you're unlikely to live for at least two more years, or if you cannot have the regular scans because of another health problem (like kidney issues) or strong claustrophobia. Also, if there's any doubt about your Crohn's diagnosis, you wouldn't be able to participate. Most importantly, you need to be willing to take part and follow the study's requirements.

If you join the CROCO Study, you will be followed for five years after your Crohn's diagnosis. This means you'll have regular visits where doctors will check your health, collect blood and other samples, and ask you to fill out questionnaires about how the disease affects your daily life. After the first year, you'll have visits every six months.

Crucially, you will have special scans called MREs (Magnetic Resonance Enterography) at 1, 3, and 5 years after your diagnosis. Depending on where your disease is located, you might also have other tests like colonoscopies, endoscopies, or pelvic MRI scans. You will continue to receive the standard treatments that your doctor recommends for your Crohn's disease throughout the study. Any surgeries you have during this time will also be recorded.