Serological markers of inflammatory bowel disease in children from the Western region of Saudi Arabia

Background and study aimsSerological markers including peri-nuclear anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (pANCA) and anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies (ASCA) have been reported in relation to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim of this study was to ascertain the prevalence and diagnostic accuracy of pANCA and ASCA antibodies in Saudi children with IBD.Patients and methodsA retrospective case-control study of children with IBD seen at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, between September 2002 and February 2012.ResultsThe study included 131 patients with IBD (86 Crohn’s disease (CD) and 45 ulcerative colitis (UC)) and 67 non-IBD control subjects. Females comprised 51% of CD, 60% of UC and 52% of non-IBD controls. The mean age was 10.7 ± 5.2 years for CD, 8.9 ± 5 years for UC, and 11.2 ± 6.8 years for the non-IBD controls.Positive ASCA-IgA and ASCA-IgG were detected in 35.8% and 35% of CD patients and in 5.8% and 3.7% of the non-IBD controls, respectively. The pANCA was detected in 28.9% of UC patients and in none of the non-IBD controls. The pANCA recognised the myeloperoxidase (MPO) antibody in 36.4% of the patients with UC.No significant difference in the frequency of pANCA between extensive disease and disease limited to the rectosigmoid colon (p = 0.48), and no significant difference in the ASCAs antibodies in patients with or without involvement of the terminal ileum (p = 0.81).ConclusionThe prevalence of ASCA and pANCA antibodies was low in Saudi children with IBD. Therefore, it may not be useful as a screening tool for IBD but it may be employed to aid the diagnosis in clinically suspected cases.