title: Humoral immune system and ulcerative colitis activity. I. Serum immunoglobulins and C-reactive protein levels.
abstract: Serum immunoglobulins and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were examined in 85 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and were correlated with activity, extension and duration of the disease, as well as with extraintestinal manifestations and therapeutic effects. An increase of IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE, CRP and decrease of IgD levels was found in UC, but the activity of the disease was correlated only with CRP level. Patients with extraintestinal manifestations showed elevation of IgG, IgA and IgM level, however, only in inactive colitis. After 12 months of therapy with sulphasalazine the immunoglobulins and CRP returned to the level found in the inactive colitis. An elevation of IgE level was also observed in patients with accompanying allergic disorders. The examined parameters did not reveal any relationship with the duration or extension of the disease. It seems that abnormality in immunoglobulin and CRP levels is an accompanying phenomenon in UC. Increase of IgE level suggests the share of allergic mechanism in pathogenesis of the disease.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000276:immunology*; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012460:Sulfasalazine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D007136:Immunoglobulins; D012460:Sulfasalazine; D002097:C-Reactive Protein