Fecal calprotectin in first-degree relatives of patients with ulcerative colitis.
OBJECTIVE
The pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease seems to depend on the combination of genetic and environmental factors. To evaluate genetic susceptibility, one approach is to search for specific markers in apparently unaffected family members of patients. Our aim was to evaluate fecal calprotectin concentrations (FCCs) in first-degree relatives of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC).


METHODS
Fifty-five patients with UC and 167 healthy first-degree relatives were recruited; 38 of the patients' spouses were also enrolled. One hundred fifty healthy subjects participated as the control group.


METHODS
FCCs were determined by ELISA. FCCs were compared among the groups by Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance (ANOVA) test followed by Mann-Whitney U test.


RESULTS
Significantly greater FCCs were found in first-degree relatives of patients with UC (76.0 [34.7-129.6] microg/g) as compared with controls (31.6 [17.0-45.0]) (P < 0.0001). Fecal calprotectin levels in patients with UC (256.0 [153.0-356.0] microg/g) were significantly higher as compared with first-degree relatives, spouses (43.8 [18.6-89.0] microg/g), and controls (P < 0.0001 for all comparisons). FCC of relatives was significantly higher than FCC of spouses (P = 0.01). FCC of spouses had a significantly higher FCC with respect to controls (P = 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
First-degree relatives of patients with UC had greater FCC values and could have a subclinical intestinal inflammation. It needs to be clarified if this finding is the consequence of genetic predisposition, of environmental factors, or the interaction of both, and if relatives with high FCC have a greater risk of developing the disease.
Montalto
Massimo
M
Institute of Internal Medicine, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
Curigliano
Valentina
V
Santoro
Luca
L
Armuzzi
Alessandro
A
Cammarota
Giovanni
G
Covino
Marcello
M
Mentella
Maria C
MC
Ancarani
Francesca
F
Manna
Raffaele
R
Gasbarrini
Antonio
A
Gasbarrini
Giovanni
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex