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.
Department of Surgery, Fondazione IRCCS, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, University of Milan, Milan, Italy. matilde.desimone@unimi.it
Matilde
M
De Simone
Michele M
MM
Ciulla
Ugo
U
Cioffi
Luca
L
Poggi
Barbara
B
Oreggia
Roberta
R
Paliotti
Fiorenzo
F
Botti
Alberto
A
Carrara
Fiorenza
F
Agosti
Alessandro
A
Sartorio
Ettore
E
Contessini-Avesani
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