title: Assessment of disease activity in ulcerative colitis by faecal calprotectin, a novel granulocyte marker protein.
abstract: This study comprised 62 outpatients with ulcerative colitis who underwent 64 colonoscopies. The disease activity was evaluated according to endoscopic and histological criteria. The results revealed a significant correlation between both the endoscopic as well as the histological gradings of disease activity and faecal calprotectin. The median faecal calprotectin levels in the control group (6 mg/l) and in the patients with no or low disease activity (11.5 mg/l) were significantly different (p < 0.0001). The median calprotectin level among patients with active disease was 68 mg/l which was significantly different from the latter group (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, we suggest that the degree of inflammation rather than the extent of the disease determined the faecal calprotectin levels. In conclusion, assessment of faecal calprotectin seems to be a marker of disease activity in patients with ulcerative colitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Aker University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Røseth
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aadland
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jahnsen
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Raknerud
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000737:chemistry; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D004724:Endoscopy; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001798:Blood Proteins; D006454:Hemoglobins; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules; D012709:Serum Albumin