title: Collagen metabolites in the peripheral and splanchnic circulation of patients with Crohn disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fragments of collagen arising during synthesis and breakdown have been suggested as markers of fibrous tissue remodelling in Crohn disease. We compared serum concentrations of the C-terminal propeptide of collagen I (PICP), the N-terminal propeptide of collagen III (PIIINP) and the C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP) in the splanchnic and systemic circulation in Crohn disease requiring segmental intestinal resection.
  
  
  METHODS
  15 consecutive patients undergoing surgery due to strictures or continuous inflammation. Male:female ratio was 6:9. Blood was drawn from a peripheral vein prior to surgery. Immediately before intestinal resection, additional samples were drawn from the antecubital vein and from a mesenteric vein draining the affected intestinal segment. PIIINP, PICP and ICTP were measured with radioimmunoassays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pre-surgery S-ICTP (median 5.5 microg/L; range 3.2-17.2 microg/L) was significantly increased in peripheral blood compared with healthy controls (median 2.6 microg/L; range 0.6-5.7 microg/L), P < or = 0.05. By contrast, S-PICP (median 98 microg/L; range 62-137 microg/L) and S-PIIINP (median 2.5 microg/L; range 1.2-7.4 microg/L) were significantly lower than S-PICP (median 133 microg/L; range 66-284 microg/L) and S-PIIINP (median 3.4 microg/L; range 1.0-7.1 microg/L) in healthy controls, P < or = 0.05. During surgery. no difference in S-PICP and S-PIIINP was documented between peripheral blood and splanchnic blood. In contrast, S-ICTP was increased in splanchnic blood (median 6.2 microg/L; range 2.7-17.4) compared to peripheral blood (median 5.0 microg/L; range 3.1-13.4) (P=0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study provides further evidence that the altered intestinal collagen metabolism in Crohn disease is reflected in the local and systemic circulation.
authors.affiliation: Depts. of Medical Gastroenterology, Surgery and Internal Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Denmark. jakjeldsen@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kjeldsen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: O B
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Schaffalitzky de Muckadell
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kronborg
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Junker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D024042:Collagen Type I; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood; D010455:Peptides; D011347:Procollagen / Q000097:blood; D013152:Splanchnic Circulation / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D024042:Collagen Type I; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010455:Peptides; D011347:Procollagen; C052929:collagen type I trimeric cross-linked peptide; C041876:procollagen Type III-N-terminal peptide; C042813:procollagen type I carboxy terminal peptide; D003094:Collagen