title: Correlated expression of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in relation to disease activity in inflammatory bowel disease: lack of differences between Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  As opposed to regular C-reactive protein (CRP) assays, the introduction of high-sensitivity ones has enabled us to detect low grade inflammation in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We addressed the subject of the degree of correlation between the concentration of high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) and the inflammatory IBD activity score.
  
  
  METHODS
  Included were 90 patients with Crohn's disease (CD), 70 with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 160 controls. Disease activity was determined using CD activity index (CDAI) for CD and Mayo score for UC. The Dade Boering BNII Nephelometer was used to determine the hs-CRP concentrations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The coefficient of correlation between hs-CRP and the disease activity score was similar for both UC (0.26) and CD (0.36).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings are relevant for therapeutic intervention in which a greater absolute reduction in the hs-CRP concentration in CD patients (who generally present higher CRP concentrations than those found in UC) might be interpreted as a better response compared to the same absolute reduction in UC patients. This information is needed for clinicians using the hs-CRP assay to estimate IBD disease activity in daily practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine D, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, affiliated to the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 6 Weizman Street, Tel Aviv 64239, Israel.
authors.forename: Liaz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zilberman
authors.forename: Nitsan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maharshak
authors.forename: Yaron
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arbel
authors.forename: Ori
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rogowski
authors.forename: Meirav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rozenblat
authors.forename: Itzhak
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shapira
authors.forename: Shlomo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Berliner
authors.forename: Nadir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arber
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dotan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000097:blood*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein