Evaluation of Albumin, Transferrin and Transthyretin in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients as Disease Activity and Nutritional Status Biomarkers

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is often accompanied by malnutrition that manifests itself as nutrient deficiencies and body mass loss or deficit. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the utility of albumin, transferrin and trans...

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Main Authors: Małgorzata Godala, Ewelina Gaszyńska, Konrad Walczak, Ewa Małecka-Wojciesko
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-08-01
Series:Nutrients
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/15/3479
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author Małgorzata Godala
Ewelina Gaszyńska
Konrad Walczak
Ewa Małecka-Wojciesko
author_facet Małgorzata Godala
Ewelina Gaszyńska
Konrad Walczak
Ewa Małecka-Wojciesko
author_sort Małgorzata Godala
collection DOAJ
description Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is often accompanied by malnutrition that manifests itself as nutrient deficiencies and body mass loss or deficit. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the utility of albumin, transferrin and transthyretin levels in the assessment of nutritional status and IBD activity. The case–control study included 82 IBD patients. The serum concentrations of albumin, transferrin and transthyretine were determined by a quantitative sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Significantly lower median concentrations of albumin were found in the IBD patients vs. controls and in CD patients compared to the UC patients. Significantly higher median transthyretin concentrations were found in the IBD patients compared to the healthy subjects. There were no significant differences in median transferrin concentrations between the IBD patients and the healthy subjects. Significantly higher albumin levels were found in IBD patients in remission compared to patients with moderate and severe exacerbation of IBD symptoms. There were no significant differences in the median transferrin or transthyretin levels in patients with IBD depending on disease activity. No differences were identified in the median transferrin or transthyretin levels in the IBD patients according to nutritional status. The median albumin concentrations in the IBD subjects were significantly higher in patients with normal body fat, normal BMI and normal waist circumferences compared to those with an abnormal nutritional status. The albumin levels reflect both nutritional status and disease activity and therefore cannot be considered a prognostic marker of malnutrition in IBD. As regards the utility of transferrin and transthyretin as markers of activity and nutritional status in IBD patients, further studies are required.
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spelling doaj.art-d96e1d02dfbf46c08bb847bb3eca1c2b2023-11-18T23:25:07ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432023-08-011515347910.3390/nu15153479Evaluation of Albumin, Transferrin and Transthyretin in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients as Disease Activity and Nutritional Status BiomarkersMałgorzata Godala0Ewelina Gaszyńska1Konrad Walczak2Ewa Małecka-Wojciesko3Department of Nutrition and Epidemiology, Medical University of Lodz, 90-752 Lodz, PolandDepartment of Nutrition and Epidemiology, Medical University of Lodz, 90-752 Lodz, PolandDepartment of Internal Medicine and Nephrodiabetology, Medical University of Lodz, 90-419 Lodz, PolandDepartment of Digestive Tract Diseases, Medical University of Lodz, 90-647 Lodz, PolandInflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is often accompanied by malnutrition that manifests itself as nutrient deficiencies and body mass loss or deficit. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the utility of albumin, transferrin and transthyretin levels in the assessment of nutritional status and IBD activity. The case–control study included 82 IBD patients. The serum concentrations of albumin, transferrin and transthyretine were determined by a quantitative sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Significantly lower median concentrations of albumin were found in the IBD patients vs. controls and in CD patients compared to the UC patients. Significantly higher median transthyretin concentrations were found in the IBD patients compared to the healthy subjects. There were no significant differences in median transferrin concentrations between the IBD patients and the healthy subjects. Significantly higher albumin levels were found in IBD patients in remission compared to patients with moderate and severe exacerbation of IBD symptoms. There were no significant differences in the median transferrin or transthyretin levels in patients with IBD depending on disease activity. No differences were identified in the median transferrin or transthyretin levels in the IBD patients according to nutritional status. The median albumin concentrations in the IBD subjects were significantly higher in patients with normal body fat, normal BMI and normal waist circumferences compared to those with an abnormal nutritional status. The albumin levels reflect both nutritional status and disease activity and therefore cannot be considered a prognostic marker of malnutrition in IBD. As regards the utility of transferrin and transthyretin as markers of activity and nutritional status in IBD patients, further studies are required.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/15/3479Crohn’s diseaseulcerative colitismalnutritionalbumintransthyretintransferrin
spellingShingle Małgorzata Godala
Ewelina Gaszyńska
Konrad Walczak
Ewa Małecka-Wojciesko
Evaluation of Albumin, Transferrin and Transthyretin in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients as Disease Activity and Nutritional Status Biomarkers
Nutrients
Crohn’s disease
ulcerative colitis
malnutrition
albumin
transthyretin
transferrin
title Evaluation of Albumin, Transferrin and Transthyretin in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients as Disease Activity and Nutritional Status Biomarkers
title_full Evaluation of Albumin, Transferrin and Transthyretin in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients as Disease Activity and Nutritional Status Biomarkers
title_fullStr Evaluation of Albumin, Transferrin and Transthyretin in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients as Disease Activity and Nutritional Status Biomarkers
title_full_unstemmed Evaluation of Albumin, Transferrin and Transthyretin in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients as Disease Activity and Nutritional Status Biomarkers
title_short Evaluation of Albumin, Transferrin and Transthyretin in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients as Disease Activity and Nutritional Status Biomarkers
title_sort evaluation of albumin transferrin and transthyretin in inflammatory bowel disease patients as disease activity and nutritional status biomarkers
topic Crohn’s disease
ulcerative colitis
malnutrition
albumin
transthyretin
transferrin
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/15/3479
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AT konradwalczak evaluationofalbumintransferrinandtransthyretinininflammatoryboweldiseasepatientsasdiseaseactivityandnutritionalstatusbiomarkers
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