Serological Diagnosis
Epidemiology
| Crohn's Disease | autoimmune disease |
|---|---|
| Portuguese Population | 4.7 per 10,000 |
| Female-to-Male Ratio | 3:1 |
| Age of onset | 20–60 years |
| Ulcerative colitis | unknown cause |
|---|---|
| Portuguese population | 1.2 per 10,000 |
| Female-to-Male Ratio | 3:1 |
| Age of onset | 20–60 years |
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a chronic condition that affects any part of the gastrointestinal tract, from the mouth to the anus.
Gastrointestinal Symptoms
- Abdominal pain (colicky)
- Diarrhea (which may be bloody)
- Constipation (intestinal obstruction)
- Nausea and vomiting
- Anal fissures, fecal incontinence
- Aphthous ulcers
Systemic Symptoms
- Growth retardation (children and adolescents)
- Fever (38.5 °C)
- Weight loss or weight gain
Extraintestinal Symptoms
- Erythema nodosum
- Photophobia, uveitis, episcleritis
- Seronegative spondyloarthropathy
- Ankylosing spondylitis, sacroiliitis
- Deep Vein Thrombosis, Pulmonary Thromboembolism
- Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia
- Osteoporosis and bone fractures
- Neurological Symptoms (headaches, depression, neuropathies, myopathies)
Serological Diagnosis
Simultaneous detection of these four antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence increases the detection rate to 83% for ulcerative colitis and to 80% for Crohn’s disease, enabling screening for both diseases, which clinically sometimes overlap.
Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease specifically localized to the colon.
Gastrointestinal Symptoms
- Mucus- and blood-tinged diarrhea
- Abdominal pain (colicky)
- Constipation / Tenesmus
Systemic Symptoms
- Weight loss
- Anemia
- Tachycardia
- Fever (38°C–39°C)
Extraintestinal Symptoms
- Aphthous ulcers in the mouth, on the lips, on the palate, and in the pharynx
- Iritis, uveitis, episcleritis
- Seronegative arthritis
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Sacroiliitis
- Erythema nodosum
- Pyoderma gangrenosum
- Deep Vein Thrombosis
- Pulmonary Thromboembolism
- Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis
Laboratory Tests
About 4/5 of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases can be diagnosed solely by testing for the presence of autoantibodies in serum.
General
| Complete Blood Count |
| Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate |
| C-Reactive Protein |
| Urea |
| Creatinine |
| Electrolyte Panel |
| Transaminases (ALT / AST) |
| Alkaline Phosphatase |
| Gamma-Glutamyl Transpeptidase (GGT) |
| Total and Direct Bilirubin |
| Type II Urinalysis |
| Fecal culture |
| Serum Iron |
| Ferritin |
| Transferrin |
| Vitamin B12 |
| Folic Acid |
Specific
| Crohn's Disease |
|---|
| Anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae Antibody (ASCA)* |
| Anti-Exocrine Pancreas Antibody (PAb) |
| Ulcerative Colitis |
|---|
| Anti-Globet Cell Antibody (GAb)* |
| Anti-pANCA Antibody |
If you have any questions, please contact us.
We'll be happy to help.
CLINICAL PATHOLOGY LABORATORY
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