Korean J Gastroenterol.  2002 Mar;39(3):186-191.

Usefulness of Laboratory Parameters in the Screening of Crohn's Disease

• Park JB
• Yang SK
• Kim YM
• Lee MH
• Chang HS
• Choe JW
• Park MI
• Myung SJ
• Jung HY
• Hong WS
• Kim JH
• Min YI

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of laboratory parameters in the screening of Crohn's disease (CD).
METHODS
A total of 68 patients who were newly diagnosed as having CD at the Asan Medical Center between October 1989 and November 2000 were included in the present study. In addition, 47 patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) were included as controls. There were no differences between the two groups in sex ratio, age, and duration of symptoms at the time of diagnosis. The values of laboratory parameters, including C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), hemoglobin, platelet, white blood cell (WBC), and albumin were compared between the two groups.
RESULTS
The rates of abnormal results were significantly different between CD and IBS in all six parameters: CRP (85.3% vs. 6.4%), hemoglobin (70.6% vs. 8.5%), ESR (69.1% vs. 4.3%), platelet (42.6% vs. 0%), albumin (42.6% vs. 0%), and WBC (11.8% vs. 0%).
CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that the laboratory parameters including CRP, hemoglobin, ESR, etc. are very useful in screening CD. More aggressive evaluation of the small and large intestine is recommended when patients with chronic gastrointestinal symptoms show abnormal values in these parameters.

Keyword

Crohn's disease; Irritable bowel syndrome; CRP; Hemoglobin; ESR

MeSH Terms

Blood Platelets
Blood Sedimentation
C-Reactive Protein
Chungcheongnam-do
Crohn Disease*
Diagnosis
Humans
Intestine, Large
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Leukocytes
Mass Screening*
Sex Ratio
C-Reactive Protein