Platelet activating factor in stool from patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.
OBJECTIVE
Platelet activating factor (PAF) is a potent endogenous mediator in inflammatory processes. The role of this mediator, especially in connection with the unknown etiology of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, remains poorly understood. A determination of PAF in stool may be helpful in recognizing quiescent inflammations in chronic inflammatory bowel diseases. A simple and reliable method for the determination of PAF in stool seems to be necessary to achieve this goal.


METHODS
PAF analysis was performed with the help of a commercial PAF radioimmunoassay (RIA) kit after solid phase extraction (SPE) of ethanolic stool extracts. PAF was determined in stool from 10 healthy volunteers (m = 4; f = 6), 13 patients with ulcerative colitis (m = 7; f = 6) and 15 patients with Crohn's disease (m = 9; f = 6). Fecal PAF concentrations were compared with activity index of disease, endoscopic index, localization of lesions, leukocyte count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), medical prednisolone treatment, sex and age of the patients.


RESULTS
In healthy volunteers, no PAF was detectable in stool. In patients with Crohn's disease 319.2 +/- 143.5 pg PAF/g stool and in patients with ulcerative colitis 824.9 +/- 408.7 pg PAF/g stool could be determined. A significant correlation (p < 0.05) was found between PAF-content in stool and the endoscopical index and intestinal localization of inflammatory lesions. No further correlations could be detected in our patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Fecal PAF assessment may be used clinically as a non-invasive method to estimate severity of mucosal inflammation in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Hocke
M
M
Department of Internal Medicine I, Friedrich-Schiller-Universitat Jena, Germany. hocke@polkim.med.uni-jena.de
Richter
L
L
Bosseckert
H
H
Eitner
K
K
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010972:Platelet Activating Factor / Q000032:analysis*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
D015415:Biomarkers; D010972:Platelet Activating Factor