Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 29, 2025
A Protein Microarray Assay for Serological Determination of Antigen-specific Antibody Responses Following Clostridium difficile Infection
Published on: June 15, 2018
Association Between Serological Markers and Crohn's Disease Activity
Zunirah Ahmed1, Michael Lysek2, Nan Zhang3
1Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham Montgomery, AL 36116, USA.
Insights
High anti-CBir1 IgG levels in Crohn's disease (CD) patients correlate with increased disease activity. Further research is needed to determine if routine testing for this marker can predict a more active clinical course in CD.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Immunology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Crohn's disease (CD) is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
- Serological markers are being investigated for their potential to predict disease activity in CD.
- Understanding predictors of CD activity is crucial for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between six specific serological markers and Crohn's disease activity.
- To determine if baseline levels of these antibodies can predict the rate of active clinical disease.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study of adults with CD followed for at least 1 year.
- Baseline measurement of six serological markers: ASCA-IgA, ASCA-IgG, anti-OmpC IgA, anti-CBir1 IgG, anti-A4Fla2 IgG, and anti-FlaX IgG.
- Poisson regression analysis to assess the relationship between baseline markers and active disease rate.
Main Results:
- High baseline anti-CBir1 IgG levels were significantly associated with a doubled likelihood of active CD (IRR 2.06, P = 0.0032) after adjusting for covariates.
- A high A4Fla2 IgG level showed a trend towards association with active CD in unadjusted analysis, but this was not significant after adjustment.
- The other four antibodies did not demonstrate predictive value for clinical course.
Conclusions:
- Elevated anti-CBir1 IgG levels at baseline are linked to a higher probability of active Crohn's disease.
- Further investigation is required to ascertain the clinical utility of routine anti-CBir1 IgG testing for predicting CD activity.
Background:
The aim was to study the association between six serological markers and Crohn's disease (CD) activity at an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) referral center.
Methods:
We designed a retrospective cohort study using adults (> 18 years) with CD followed for at least 1 year at University of Alabama at Birmingham. Baseline serological markers ASCA-IgA, ASCA-IgG, anti-OmpC IgA, anti-CBir1 IgG, anti-A4Fla2 IgG and anti-FlaX IgG were drawn at initial visit. Poisson regression was used to assess the longitudinal relationship between these markers drawn at baseline and rate of active clinical disease during follow-up.
Results:
Each marker, from 135 patients, was categorized into high vs. low. A Poisson regression model adjusted for age, gender, race, duration of disease, obesity, proton pump inhibitor; steroid and thiopurine use, and disease location demonstrated that CD patients with high anti-CBir1 IgG at baseline were approximately twice more likely to have active clinical disease (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 2.06, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.28 - 3.33, P = 0.0032). The unadjusted Poisson regression model for A4Fla2 IgG antibody level did suggest that a high A4Fla2 IgG at baseline was associated with a higher likelihood of active CD (IRR 1.64, 95% CI 1.07, 2.53, P = 0.0238) which however, upon adjustment based on effect size, was not significant. The other four antibodies did not appear to predict clinical course.
Conclusions:
High levels of anti-CBir1 IgG appear to be associated with a greater likelihood of active CD. Whether routine baseline testing for anti-CBir1 IgG to predict a more active clinical course is warranted needs more research.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Crohn's Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease, commonly known as IBD, refers to a collection of disorders that lead to persistent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The two types of IBD are ulcerative colitis, which impacts the colon, and Crohn's disease, which can involve any part of the gastrointestinal segment.
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a chronic, systemic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that predominantly affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is marked by...
01:24Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Biologic Agents: Anti-TNF
01:30Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Diagnostic Studies and Management I-Nutritional Therapy
Diagnostic studies
A colonoscopy is the definitive screening test, distinguishing ulcerative colitis from other colon diseases with similar symptoms. During a colonoscopy test, inflamed mucosa with exudate ulcerations can be observed, and biopsies are taken to determine the histologic characteristics of the...
01:17Chronic Bowel Disorders: Introduction
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. The distinctive feature is recurrent abdominal pain associated with altered bowel movements, manifesting as constipation, diarrhea, or fluctuating between both. The...
01:29Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Immunomodulatory Agents
01:27Inflammatory Bowel Disease I: Ulcerative Colitis
Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, encompasses a group of disorders characterized by chronic inflammation or ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract.
Risk Factors
The exact cause of IBD remains unclear, although it is believed to be due to a mix of genetic, environmental, microbial, and immune factors. Genetic factors are significant in determining susceptibility to IBD, with family history being a critical risk factor. Individuals with a first-degree relative who has IBD are at...