INTESTINAL PROTEIN LOSS AND BLEEDING ASSESSED BY FECAL HEMOGLOBIN, TRANSFERRIN, ALBUMIN, AND ALPHA-1-ANTITRYPSIN LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH COLORECTAL DISEASES

Four fecal proteins (hemoglobin, transferrin, albumin, and alpha(1)-an titrypsin) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in patients with colorectal diseases. Levels of all 4 proteins were si gnificantly increased in patients with colonic cancer and ulcerative c olitis (UC) compared to levels in control subjects, while fecal clr-an titrypsin was particularly elevated in colonic Crohn's disease (CD). T hat is, the fecal protein pattern of CD was distinct from those of col onic polyps, colonic cancer, and UC. To investigate whether levels of these fecal proteins reflect disease activity in UC and CD, comparativ e evaluation of fecal proteins in the active and inactive phases was p erformed. In UC, differences in the fecal concentrations of all 4 prot eins were significant between the active and inactive phases of the di sease. In CD, however, the difference in ar-antitrypsin concentration was significant. Our results suggest that measurements of these 4 feca l proteins would be useful in the screening of colorectal diseases. In addition, these markers can also be used as indicators of disease act ivity in inflammatory bowel diseases.