Biomarker Commons

Lewis score correlates more closely with fecal calprotectin than Capsule Endoscopy Crohn's Disease Activity Index.

Dig Dis Sci. 2012 Apr;57(4):987-93

Authors: Koulaouzidis A, Douglas S, Plevris JN

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Small-bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) is an invaluable imaging method for the small bowel. The Lewis score (LS) and the Capsule Endoscopy Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CECDAI) have been developed to standardize the reporting of small-bowel inflammation. Fecal calprotectin (FC) represents a highly reliable biomarker of intestinal inflammation.
AIM: To assess the performance of the two SBCE inflammation scoring systems by correlating them with FC. Furthermore, to define threshold levels for CECDAI.
METHODS: Retrospective study; patients who underwent SBCE and had FC measurement shortly before or after SBCE. LS and CECDAI were calculated by a single reviewer and correlated [Spearman's (r ( s ))] with the FC results. Linear regression analysis was used to identify threshold levels for CECDAI.
RESULTS: Forty-nine patients; three subgroups A, B and C (based on FC levels <100, 100-200, and ≥200 μg/g, respectively). LS appears to correlate with FC (r ( s ) = 0.448, p = 0.0014), unlike CECDAI, which does not demonstrate significant correlation (r ( s ) = 0.245, p = 0.089). Strongly positive correlation between FC and LS was observed in subgroup A (r ( s ) = 0.68, p = 0.0047), while in subgroups B and C, neither LS nor CECDAI showed correlation with FC. Significant correlation between LS and CECDAI was demonstrated (r ( s ) = 0. 6324, p < 0.0001). Linear regression analysis demonstrates that LS thresholds of 135 and 790 correspond with CECDAI levels of 3.8 and 5.8, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: LS performs better than CECDAI in describing small-bowel inflammation, especially at FC levels of <100 μg/g. Furthermore, CECDAI levels of 3.8 and 5.8 seem to correspond to LS thresholds of 135 and 790, respectively.

PMID: 22057284 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Serum levels of soluble receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (sRAGE) are higher in ulcerative colitis and correlate with disease activity.

J Crohns Colitis. 2011 Oct;5(5):402-6

Authors: Yilmaz Y, Yonal O, Eren F, Atug O, Hamzaoglu HO

Abstract
UNLABELLED: Interaction of the receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) with its ligands results in expression of inflammatory mediators, activation of NF-κB, and induction of oxidative stress, all of which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Soluble receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (sRAGE) has recently emerged as a reliable biomarker of inflammation in numerous RAGE-mediated disorders.
OBJECTIVE: To assess sRAGE levels in adult patients with IBD.
METHOD: Serum was collected from adult patients with Crohn's disease (CD, 56 patients), ulcerative colitis (UC, 60 patients), and healthy controls (HC, 113 subjects). Levels of sRAGE were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
RESULTS: Serum sRAGE levels were elevated in IBD compared to HC and were higher in UC patients compared to CD and HC. Levels of sRAGE were significantly higher in the serum of UC patients with active disease compared to patients with inactive disease, but no association with the Montreal Classification was evident. Serum sRAGE was lower in CD patients with biological therapies.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that serum levels of sRAGE are altered in patients with intestinal inflammation and may reflect distinct immunoinflammatory pathogenesis of UC and CD.

PMID: 21939913 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Candidate mucosal and surrogate biomarkers of inflammatory bowel disease in the era of new technology.

Scand J Gastroenterol. 2011 Dec;46(12):1407-17

Authors: Florholmen J, Fries W

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: There is increasing knowledge of the pathophysiology behind inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) although the exact mechanism is far from fully understood. In the era of new technology, over the last years molecular approaches have shed light on the inflammatory mechanisms and their metabolic end products. This opens for a molecular fingerprinting that can be used in the biomarker field of IBD. There is a great need of biomarkers for prediction of clinical outcome and prognostic biomarker for prediction of therapeutic effects in IBD. Although the biomarker concept is old, so far very few really useful biomarkers exist in IBD.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Here, we review the predictive and prognostic biomarkers in IBD in the era of new technologies with emphasis on the potential of molecular fingerprinting.
RESULTS: Very few candidate biomarkers have been documented. The most promising candidate predictor is tumor necrosis factor-α, but there is a lack of validation.
CONCLUSION: So far, there are few biomarkers documented in IBD, but we are at the start of a new scientific field that will be of great value for the handling of the disease.

PMID: 22040230 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Importance of CXCL16 as a biomarker for granulocytapheresis in patients with Crohn's disease.

Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2011 Oct;17(10):2211-2

Authors: Nakase H, Uza N, Matsuura M, Chiba T

PMID: 21391290 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]