Association of biomarkers of intestinal inflammation with indexes of ulcerative colitis activity

Abstract

Background. The goal is to analyze the content of mar­kers of intestinal inflammation in the blood and feces of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) in comparison with the known disease activity indices. Materials and methods. We examined 60 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of UC. The clinical activity of UC was evaluated using a clinical activity index of D. Rachmilewitz. Endoscopic activity of UC was determined by the Mayo index. The degree of UC activity was assessed by the combined Mayo index. Serum levels of α1-antitrypsin and C-reactive protein were determined. The content of myeloperoxidase, calprotectin and α1-antitrypsin in the feces was studied. Correlation analysis was carried out with the calculation of the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient and its significance. Results. In patients with UC, a significant increase in the level of fecal myeloperoxidase was detected — by 4.5 times (p = 0.027) and α1-antitrypsin in the feces — by 3.6 times (p = 0.039) as the clinical activity of UC was increased. With a pronounced degree of endoscopic activity of UC, a significant increase in the level of markers of inflammation in the feces was noted: α1-antitrypsin — by 17.8 times (p = 0.037), calprotectin — by 1.7 times (p = 0.023), myeloperoxidase — by 4.3 times (p = 0.019). At the same time, the level of C-reactive protein and α1-antitrypsin in the blood did not have significant differences depending on the degree of activity of ulcerative colitis. Conclusions. In patients with UC, correlations were established between the level of myeloperoxidase and calprotectin in the feces and the index of endoscopic activity of UC (r = 0.63; p = 0.0008, and r = 0.53; p = 0.001, respectively), as well as between the level of fecal myeloperoxidase and the degree of disease activity according to the combined Mayo index (r = 0.68; p = 0.0001).