title: Plasma viscosity in inflammatory bowel disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the relation of plasma viscosity to disease activity in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Crohn's disease (n = 60) and ulcerative colitis (n = 71) were diagnosed on the basis of typical histological or radiological features. Active Crohn's disease was defined as a Crohn's disease activity index of 150 or over. Active ulcerative colitis was defined as a liquid stool passed three times a day or more with blood. Blood samples were assessed for haemoglobin concentration, total white cell count, platelets, plasma viscosity, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, serum albumin, and C-reactive protein.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma viscosity was higher in those with active Crohn's disease compared with those with inactive Crohn's disease or active ulcerative colitis. Plasma viscosity correlated significantly with erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and platelet count in patients with Crohn's disease. In ulcerative colitis plasma viscosity correlated only with serum C-reactive protein. Plasma viscosity showed a low sensitivity for detecting active Crohn's disease, with 48% of those with active disease having a plasma viscosity within the laboratory reference range.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma viscosity is related to disease activity in Crohn's disease, but is insufficiently sensitive for it to replace erythrocyte sedimentation rate as a measure of the acute phase response in Crohn's disease.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Unit, General Infirmary, Leeds.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lobo
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Juby
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Axon
mesh_terms: D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D001809:Blood Viscosity / Q000502:physiology*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000097:blood*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein