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Updated: May 13, 2026
A TNBS-Induced Rodent Model to Study the Pathogenic Role of Mechanical Stress in Crohn's Disease
Published on: March 1, 2022
Crohn's disease: small bowel motility impairment correlates with inflammatory-related markers C-reactive protein and
S Bickelhaupt1, S Pazahr, N Chuck
1Department of Radiology, University Hospital Zürich, Rämistrasse 100, Zürich, Switzerland.
Background:
To evaluate the correlation between the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), calprotectin, and small bowel motility in patients with Crohn's disease assessed with MRI.
Methods:
This prospective institutional review board approved study included magnetic resonance imaging enterography (MRE) and analyses of inflammatory markers in blood (C-reactive protein) and feces (calprotectin). For cine MRE, a coronal 2D-T2w sequence was used on a 1.5 T MRI system. Small bowel motility was analyzed in 13 patients using dedicated magnetic resonance MR-motility assessment software (Motasso). Contraction frequency, amplitude, amplitude diameter ratio, and luminal diameter were determined as well as the blood levels of CRP (mg L(-1) ) and fecal levels of calprotectin (ug g(-1) ). Statistics were calculated using Pearson's correlation coefficient.
Key Results:
A significant inverse linear correlation was found between the contraction frequency and both the level of CRP (r = -0.701, P = 0.008) and calprotectin (r = -0.805, P = 0.001). Dilatation of small bowel diameter significantly correlated with calprotectin levels (r = 0.857, P =< 0.001) but not with CRP (r = 0.447, P = 0.126). The absolute amplitude of the contractions did not correlate neither with the level of CRP (r = -0.527, P = 0.064) nor with calprotectin (r = -0.612, P = 0.026). The ratio describing the contraction amplitude relatively to the individual luminal diameter significantly correlated with calprotectin (r = 0.736, P = 0.004) and with CRP (r = 0.577, P = 0.039).
Conclusions & Inferences:
Alterations of small bowel motility during CD flares significantly correlate with the level of calprotectin and CRP indicating that they represent inflammatory activity.
Insights
In Crohn's disease, reduced small bowel contraction frequency strongly correlates with elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) and calprotectin levels. These inflammatory markers reflect disease activity and impact bowel motility.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Radiology
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research
Background:
- Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory condition affecting the gastrointestinal tract.
- Assessing disease activity and its impact on small bowel function is crucial for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between key inflammatory markers and small bowel motility in CD patients.
- To determine if C-reactive protein (CRP) and calprotectin levels correlate with MRI-assessed motility parameters.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study involving 13 CD patients undergoing magnetic resonance imaging enterography (MRE).
- MRE cine sequences analyzed small bowel motility parameters (contraction frequency, amplitude, diameter).
- Blood CRP and fecal calprotectin levels were measured and correlated with MRE findings using Pearson's correlation coefficient.
Main Results:
- A significant inverse correlation was observed between contraction frequency and both CRP (r=-0.701, P=0.008) and calprotectin (r=-0.805, P=0.001).
- Small bowel diameter dilatation correlated significantly with calprotectin (r=0.857, P<0.001) but not CRP.
- The contraction amplitude to diameter ratio correlated significantly with both calprotectin (r=0.736, P=0.004) and CRP (r=0.577, P=0.039).
Conclusions:
- Small bowel motility alterations in CD flares are significantly associated with calprotectin and CRP levels.
- These inflammatory markers serve as indicators of active disease and their impact on gastrointestinal motility.
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