PERINUCLEAR ANTINEUTROPHIL CYTOPLASMIC ANTIBODIES IN ULCERATIVE-COLITIS AFTER RESTORATIVE PROCTOCOLECTOMY DO NOT CORRELATE WITH THE PRESENCE OF POUCHITIS

Background: Although perinuclear anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (p-ANCA) expression is strongly associated with ulcerative colitis, it s relationship with the occurrence of pouchitis after restorative proc tocolectomy is uncertain. Methods: Serum p-ANCA was assayed using both indirect immunofluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (EL ISA) in 49 patients, of whom 25 had, and 24 had not developed pouchiti s. Control sera were obtained from 15 healthy volunteers. Results: By means of indirect immunofluorescence, p-ANCA was detected in 45.8% of patients without and in 48% with pouchitis (NS). Twenty-three (46.9%) of the 49 colitis patients were p-ANCA-positive, compared with none of the 15 controls (P<0.01). By means of ELISA, p-ANCA positivity was pr esent in 50% of patients without and in 68% with pouchitis (NS). Concl usion: Whereas p-ANCA was associated with ulcerative colitis as compar ed with normal individuals, it was not associated with pouchitis. Thus it is unlikely to be a suitable pre-operative marker to identify thos e patients who will develop pouchitis.