Laboratory Assessment of Disease Activity in Pediatric Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: What’s New?

Evaluation of Fecal Calprotectin, Serum C-Reactive Protein, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate, Seromucoid and Procalcitonin in the Diagnostics and Monitoring of Crohn's Disease in Children

Background: The development of diagnostic and monitoring algorithms for Crohn’s disease based on non-invasive methods is of particular importance in children and is the subject of many studies. Objectives: Evaluate the usefulness of fecal calprotectin, serum C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, seromucoid and procalcitonin in the differential diagnosis of non-inflammatory gastrointestinal tract diseases and Crohn’s disease in children and their usefulness in determining the phenotype of Crohn’s disease. Material and methods: Forty-seven children with non-inflammatory gastrointestinal tract diseases and fifty-four with Crohn’s disease were enrolled. Clinical and endoscopic activity was evaluated based on the Pediatric Crohn’s Disease Activity Index (PCDAI) and the Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn’s Disease (SES-CD). Results: Fecal calprotectin, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and seromucoid were significantly higher in children with Crohn’s disease than in controls (p < 0.001). Fecal calprotectin correlated with clinical and endoscopic activity according to the Pediatric Crohn’s Disease Activity Index (r = 0.338; p = 0.012) and the Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn’s Disease (r = 0.428; p = 0.001). Non-invasive biomarkers did not correlate with the location and clinical manifestation of Crohn’s disease. Conclusions: Fecal calprotectin, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and seromucoid are useful in the differentiation of Crohn’s disease from non-inflammatory gastrointestinal tract diseases in children and in monitoring the clinical course of Crohn’s disease, but not in evaluating activity and phenotype of the disease.