title: Plasma intestinal fatty acid-binding protein fails to predict endoscopic disease activity in inflammatory bowel disease patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Monitoring disease activity in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is of major importance to prevent long-term complications. Intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) has been identified as a marker for intestinal damage and correlates with the degree of inflammation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether I-FABP can predict active disease or remission in Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) in a real-life IBD cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 70 patients with endoscopic disease activity available and 194 patients with disease activity on the basis of a stringent combi-score of clinical activity index, C-reactive protein, and fecal calprotectin were included. Plasma I-FABP was compared between patients with active disease and remission. In a small subgroup of CD patients, follow-up samples were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In CD (139.2 vs. 119.2 pg/ml; P=0.37) and UC (107.8 vs. 151.8 pg/ml; P=0.33), the median I-FABP did not differ in endoscopic active disease versus remission. In UC patients with active disease on the basis of the combi-score, the median I-FABP (106.8 vs. 172.0 pg/ml; P=0.03) was significantly lower than in patients in remission, but not in CD (145.5 vs. 157.5 pg/ml; P=0.29). Neither disease location in CD nor extent of disease in UC influenced I-FABP significantly. I-FABP was not different (P=0.78) in CD patients with a change in disease activity over time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma I-FABP did not differ between endoscopic active disease and remission in both CD and UC. I-FABP was lower in active UC but not CD on the basis of the combi-score. On the basis of these findings, I-FABP has no potential as a novel noninvasive biomarker for disease activity in IBD.
authors.affiliation: aDepartment of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology-Hepatology, Maastricht University Medical Center bDepartment of Gastroenterology, NUTRIM School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism cDepartment of Surgery, NUTRIM School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht dDivision of Internal Medicine & Gastroenterology, Amphia Hospital Breda, Breda, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Alexander G L
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Bodelier
authors.forename: Marie J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Pierik
authors.forename: Kaatje
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lenaerts
authors.forename: Evelien
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de Boer
authors.forename: Steven W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Olde Damink
authors.forename: Wim M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Hameeteman
authors.forename: Ad A M
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Masclee
authors.forename: Daisy M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Jonkers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000379:methods; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012074:Remission Induction; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins