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.
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.
Zilberman
Liaz
L
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.
Maharshak
Nitsan
N
Arbel
Yaron
Y
Rogowski
Ori
O
Rozenblat
Meirav
M
Shapira
Itzhak
I
Berliner
Shlomo
S
Arber
Nadir
N
Dotan
Iris
I
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
D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein