Serum lysozyme in inflammatory bowel disease.

Serum lysozyme activity was measured in 18 patients with ulcerative colitis and 40 patients with Crohn's disease by both the turbidimetric and lysoplate method. Only one patient with ulcerative colitis and eight patients with Crohn's disease had increased serum lysozyme activity by either or both methods. Both methods appeared equally sensitive in detecting increased serum lysozyme activity. In Crohn's disease, the percent with elevated values increased with increase in disease activity.