title: Activated thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFIa) is associated with inflammatory markers in inflammatory bowel diseases TAFIa level in patients with IBD.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) has been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis and progression of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Activated TAFI (TAFIa) attenuates fibrinolysis by cleaving C-terminal lysine residues thus down-regulating plasminogen activation. To date, no reports on TAFIa in IBD have been published.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma levels of TAFIa were measured using a functional assay in 55 consecutive patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 50 with Crohn's disease (CD). Associations of TAFIa with disease activity, hemostatic variables and inflammatory markers were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma TAFIa was higher in CD patients than in those with UC. The disease activity correlated positively with TAFIa levels in the UC group, but not in the CD group. In UC patients, there were positive correlations of TAFIa with white blood cells, C-reactive protein and fibrinogen and an inverse correlation with albumin. In the CD group, a positive correlation was shown for C-reactive protein, fibrinogen and platelet count, while a negative correlation was noted for albumin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study is the first to show that TAFIa is increased in CD patients compared with UC and its levels are associated with inflammatory markers in both forms of IBD. These findings fit in the hypothesis that TAFIa may be a marker of active IBD, and in particular of active UC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases Jagiellonian University School of Medicine, Krakow, Poland. owczarek@su.krakow.pl
authors.forename: Danuta
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Owczarek
authors.forename: Anetta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Undas
authors.forename: Jonathan H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Foley
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Nesheim
authors.forename: Konrad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jabłonski
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mach
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D025901:Carboxypeptidase B2 / Q000097:blood*; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006487:Hemostasis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D025901:Carboxypeptidase B2