Serological Markers and Inflammatory Bowel Disease

The incidence of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) is increasing, but differentiating between them is often difficult. Anti- Saccharomyces cerevisiae mannan antibodies (ASCA), perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (pANCA), pancreatic (PAB) and goblet cell autoantibodies (GAB) are serological markers associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The clinical significance and diagnostic value of these markers are not well defined in different populations.Determining the prevalence of these serological markers in Egyptian population with IBD and assessing the value of pANCA and ASCA as a diagnostic marker in the differentiation between CD and UC is a critical issue. In addition, the combination of these antibodies with PAB and GAB may improve differentiation between IBD subtypes.