Role of circulating adipokines as a diagnostic tool in ulcerative colitis

Adipokines participate in the modulation of immune and inflammatory responses and their significance in inflammatory bowel disease is a subject of intensive research. Aim: to evaluate serum levels of leptin, resistin, and ghrelin in ulcerative colitis patients, and to correlate these results with the disease activity and the ordinary inflammatory markers. Subject & methods: Our study included 55 ulcerative colitis patients (32 patients with acute ulcerative colitis (AUC), and 33 patients with remission ulcerative colitis (RUC)). In addition, 50 healthy control subjects served as control group. Serum levels of adipokines were assessed by sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kits. Results: Mean serum levels of ESR, CRP, resistin and ghrelin were significantly increased while serum leptin was significantly decreased in AUC patients than the control group, while in the RUC group the mean values of these biochemical parameter were non significant with the healthy control group. Positive correlation between CRP and both resistin and ghrelin and negative correlation with leptin indicate that these adipokines correlated with severity of disease. Conclusion: Serum adipokines could play a significant role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory processes and progress of ulcerative colitis.