The role of serum S100A12 (calgranulin C) as a diagnostic marker in Egyptian patients with irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis

Abstract

Background S100A12, a proinflammatory protein secreted by granulocytes, is known to be elevated in different diseases of inflammatory origin, including inflammatory bowel disease. Aims To evaluate the role of serum S100A12 as a diagnostic marker in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease. Patients and methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 70 persons who fulfilled the designed inclusion criteria and were classified into four groups: group I included 10 healthy persons; group II included 20 patients known to have IBS; group III included 20 patients known to have ulcerative colitis (UC) in remission; and group IV included 20 patients known to have UC in active state. Serum S100A12 level was measured in all patients using a highly sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results The mean serum S100A12 level for UC patients in exacerbation was 83.93±30.78 pg/ml, UC patients in remission 64.03±19.87 pg/ml, the mean value of serum S100A12 was 47.73±11.15 pg/ml in the IBS group, and the mean value for the control group was 45.32±8.60 pg/ml. So, there is a significant high level of serum S100A12 in UC groups compared with the IBS group and the control group. Serum S100A12 levels were significantly higher in active UC patients compared with IBS/healthy controls (P0.05). The performed analysis also focused on the determination of a cutoff for UC prediction that would exhibit the highest possible sensitivity and specificity. This optimal cutoff was estimated at 52.8 pg/ml with a sensitivity and a specificity of 80 and 75%, respectively. Conclusions Serum S100A12 can be used as a noninvasive marker to distinguish UC from IBS.

Keywords

• clinical activity index
• inflammatory bowel disease
• irritable bowel syndrome
• serum s100a12
• ulcerative colitis