Clinical relevance of activity parameters in Crohn's disease estimated by the faecal excretion of 111In-labeled granulocytes.

The fecal excretion of 111In-oxine-labeled autologous granulocytes was determined in 58 patients with Crohn's disease. A representative analysis of the total amount of excreted cells requires a 4-day stool sampling at least in those patients suffering from Crohn's ileitis or ileocolitis. Various laboratory tests (Orosomucoid, alpha 1-antitrypsin, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, leukocytes, thrombocytes, albumin, Fe, alpha 1-globulin and alpha 2-globulin) and the van Hees index significantly correlated with this specific estimate of intestinal inflammation, indicating that it is of little importance which one is clinically used for the assessment of inflammatory activity in Crohn's disease.