Disease activity and serum proteins in ulcerative colitis. Immunochemical quantitation.

Nine different serum proteins from 50 patients suffering from ulcerative colitis were quantitated by means of Laurell's rocket-electrophoresis. The periods of study extended for up to five years. Twenty-six patients were seen at brief intervals from days up to two months; 18 patients were seen at intervals from two to six months. As surgical intervention was urgently required in six cases, few determinations were made in these patients. The disease was classified into five phases according to its clinical activity (as assessed by temperature, blood via the rectum, and number of episodes of diarrhoea). The phases are designated: active febrile; active afebrile; unstable; remission; and restitution. The concentrations of orosomucoid and haptoglobin were found to rise in parallel with intensified clinical activity, while the concentration of pre-albumin falls, thus making these proteins particularly useful for determining changes in the clinical status of the patients. The concentration of pre-albumin during the active phase was especially useful in cases where it was to be decided whether or not surgery was indicated. Concentrations of orosomucoid and IgG were not as useful as pre-albumin in these cases. In patients who escaped operation, the concentration of pre-albumin was seen to rise from low values up to normal before clinical improvement set in.