Korean J Gastroenterol.  2003 Oct;42(4):297-302.

Diagnostic Role of Anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Autoantibodies in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease

• Kim JE
• Kim KS
• Seo JK

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Combined measurement of perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (pANCA) and anti-Saccharomyces cereviseae mannan antibodies (ASCA) has recently been suggested as a valuable diagnostic approach to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the pediatric age group. The aim of this study was to test the accuracy of the assay using pANCA and ASCA in diagnosing pediatric ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD).
METHODS
Sera were collected from 25 patients with IBD (17 with CD, 8 with UC) and 32 healthy controls. The levels of pANCA and ASCA were determined by using a standard indirect immunofluorescence technique on ethanol-fixed granulocytes and an ELISA assay, respectively.
RESULTS
In patients with UC, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of the pANCA test were 38%, 88%, and 60%, respectively. Such values were not changed significantly in the case of positive pANCA and negative ASCA. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of ASCA test in diagnosing CD were 71%, 88%, and 92%, respectively. The combination of pANCA negative and ASCA positive was not significant.
CONCLUSIONS
ASCA and pANCA assays are highly disease specific for CD and UC, respectively. These serological tests can assist clinicians in diagnosing and categorizing patients with IBD and may be useful in making therapeutic decisions.

Keyword

Antibodies; antineutrophil cytoplasmic; Anti-Saccharomyces cereviseae mannan antibodies; Inflammatory bowel diseases; Child

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic/*analysis
Antibodies, Fungal/*analysis
Child
Child, Preschool
Colitis, Ulcerative/*diagnosis
Crohn Disease/*diagnosis
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Female
Fluorescent Antibody Technique
Humans
Male
Mannans/immunology
Predictive Value of Tests
Saccharomyces cerevisiae/*immunology
Sensitivity and Specificity