title: The usefulness of factor XIII levels in Crohn's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The assessment of inflammatory activity in Crohn's disease (CD) is challenging, and no specific laboratory marker is currently available. Several studies have reported decreased serum factor XIII levels in CD patients as a function of disease activity. We aimed to determine whether the factor XIII level could be a marker for the evolution of CD.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective, single-centre trial, 129 patients were included and categorised into two groups: functional bowel disorders (FBDs, n=42) and CD (n=86). The CD group was divided into two subgroups depending on disease activity, as defined by the Crohn's Disease Activity Index score: active disease (CDa, n=41) and disease remission (CDb, n=45). The factor XIII levels were evaluated for each patient. Serial factor XIII levels were evaluated in the patients within the CDa subgroup.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The factor XIII levels were significantly different between the FBD (117.69%) and CD (101.89%) groups (p=0.009) but there was no significant difference between the CDa and CDb subgroups (99.04% vs 104.65%, p>0.05), and the levels did not vary during follow-up for the patients in the CDa subgroup. By multivariate analysis, factor XIII levels did not correlate with the time course of disease evolution, CRP, serum fibrin levels, platelet count, disease distribution within the bowel, or the presence of a fistulising form of CD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results confirm that factor XIII levels are decreased in CD patients but cannot be recommended as a marker for the disease activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hopital Nord, Université de la Méditerranée, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Pierre-Alain
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Cougard
authors.forename: Ariadne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Desjeux
authors.forename: Veronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vitton
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baumstarck-Barrau
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lesavre
authors.forename: Jean-Charles
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Grimaud
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003109:Colonic Diseases, Functional / Q000097:blood; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005176:Factor XIII / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005176:Factor XIII