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Fecal Lysozyme in Assessment of Disease Activity in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

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Abstract

This study was undertaken to determine whethermeasurement of fecal lysozyme is helpful in determiningdisease activity in inflammatory bowel disease. In 112patients with Crohn's disease, 46 patients with ulcerative colitis, and 40 controls, fecallysozyme concentration was measured. Results werecorrelated with CDAI and AI in Crohn's disease and withTruelove and Witts' grading in ulcerative colitis. Fecal lysozyme concentration (mean ± SEM) wassignificantly (P < 0.001) higher in Crohn's disease(75 ± 14 mug/g) and ulcerative colitis (238± 33 mug/g) than in controls (6 ± 1μg/g). There was only a weak correlation between fecal lysozymeconcentration and CDAI (r = 0.32; P = 0.001) and AI (r= 0.38; P < 0.0005) in patients with Crohn's diseaseand with Truelove and Witts' grading (r = 0.47; P =0.001) in ulcerative colitis. When CDAI 150 or AI 100were used as the standard for active disease, fecallysozyme concentration was elevated in 78% of patientswith active colonic Crohn's disease. In ulcerative colitis fecal lysozyme concentration wasincreased in active disease (95% in grade II and 94% ingrade III) as compared 33% in grade I. Measurement offecal lysozyme is of little help in diagnosing and determining disease activity of inflammatorybowel disease as whole, but it may be of help fordiagnosis and assessment of activity of colonicIBD.

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Veer, A.V.D.S., Brouwer, J., Biemond, I. et al. Fecal Lysozyme in Assessment of Disease Activity in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Dig Dis Sci 43, 590–595 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018823426917

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018823426917

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