Effects of surgery on peripheral N-terminal propeptide of type III procollagen in patients with Crohn's disease.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigates the effects of surgery on collagen turnover in patients affected by Crohn's disease (CD).


METHODS
Fifteen patients affected by active CD, assessed according to the Crohn's disease activity index, and confirmed by histology, with different pharmacological treatments, were enrolled in the study. N-Terminal propeptide of type III collagen was assessed on peripheral blood before and 6 months after surgery, as an index of collagen turnover. A control group of 15 healthy age- and sex-matched subjects was also studied.


RESULTS
In CD patients peripheral N-terminal propeptide of type III collagen serum levels were significantly higher than in controls before surgery (5.0 +/- 1.8 vs 2.7 +/- 0.7 microg/l, respectively; p = 0.0001). Six months after these values were significantly reduced (from 5.0 +/- 1.8 to 3.1 +/- 0.8 microg/l; p = 0.003). Independently on the pretreatment regimen and the duration of the disease, an improvement in the patients' symptoms was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
The surgical resection of the affected intestinal segment in CD patients seems to be able to break down the collagen synthesis processes. Peripheral N-terminal propeptide of type III collagen could be seen as an additive marker to clinical and endoscopic observations after surgery.
De Simone
Matilde
M
Department of Surgery, Fondazione IRCCS, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, University of Milan, Milan, Italy. matilde.desimone@unimi.it
Ciulla
Michele M
MM
Cioffi
Ugo
U
Poggi
Luca
L
Oreggia
Barbara
B
Paliotti
Roberta
R
Botti
Fiorenzo
F
Carrara
Alberto
A
Agosti
Fiorenza
F
Sartorio
Alessandro
A
Contessini-Avesani
Ettore
E
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011347:Procollagen / Q000097:blood*
D015415:Biomarkers; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011347:Procollagen; C041876:procollagen Type III-N-terminal peptide