Increased leukocyte adhesiveness/ aggregation in patients with inflammatory bowel disease during remission

Abstract

We have used a novel leukocyte adhesiveness/aggregation test (LAAT) to show that many patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in clinical remission have a subclinical low grade inflammation. Included in the study are 500 controls, 96 patients with IBD in remission, and 106 patients in relapse. The percent of aggregated white blood cells detected in the peripheral blood was 5.9 +/- 3.9, 9.1 +/- 5.9, and 18.8 +/- 9.4, respectively. The difference between each group and any other was significant at P < 0.0001. Similar results were obtained when other acute phase reactants like the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, white blood cell count, differential count, and C-reactive protein level were examined. However, in a linear regression analysis, LAAT was the only significant (P < 0.0006) variable that could classify correctly each subject to the appropriate category of control and IBD in remission or relapse. Identification of patients with IBD in clinical remission who have ongoing inflammation may be of clinical-therapeutic relevance. The LAAT is a simple, rapid, and convenient test. The present study indicates that it is also very sensitive.