The method for diagnosing the activity of inflammatory bowel diseases based on a combination of electrical and viscoelastic parameters of erythrocytes and the level of fecal calprotectin

Purpose of the work: to present a method for diagnosing the activity of inflammatory bowel diseases based on a combination of electrical and viscoelastic parameters of erythrocytes and the level of fecal calprotectin.

Materials and methods. We examined 109 patients (37.7±11.7 years) with IBD (50 with ulcerative colitis, 41 with Crohn’s disease, 18 patients with unclassified colitis), of which 36 patients were examined in dynamics for 0.5–1 years, and 53 surveyed comparison groups. Taking into account the observation in dynamics in 109 cases, the presence of exacerbation of IBD was established and in 36 cases — remission of the diseases. The electrical and viscoelastic parameters of erythrocytes were studied by dielectrophoresis. The level of fecal calprotectin was determined by ELISA (R-Biopharm, Germany).

Results. Differentiating values have been established for a number of erythrocyte parameters: average cell diameter, polarizability at a frequency of 106 Hz, the velocity of movement of cells towards electrodes, amplitude of erythrocyte deformation at a frequency of 106 Hz, the summarized indicators of rigidity, viscosity, electrical conductivity, position of the crossover frequency and the level of fecal calprotectin to distinguish patients with IBD in stages of exacerbation and remission. The proposed method for the combined use of erythrocyte parameters and the level of fecal calprotectin provided sufficient diagnostic accuracy: sensitivity 91.9%, specificity 93.1%, accuracy index 92.3%. The advantages of this approach are minimally invasiveness, high productivity, independence of the definition from the qualifications and experience of a specialist, low cost and labor intensity, and acceptability for the patient. This approach allows to establish the presence of exacerbation or remission, regardless of the nosological form of IBD.

Conclusion. The combined use of electrical and viscoelastic parameters of erythrocytes and the level of fecal calprotectin is promising for determining the activity of the disease in patients with IBD.

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