Soluble ST2: A new and promising activity marker in ulcerative colitis

Figure 1 Distribution of serum levels of sST2 in the groups of studied patients. Box-plot showing the distribution of serum sST2 levels in healthy patients (HC) compared to non-inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) patients (A) and comparison of HC with non-IBD and inactive and active UC patients (B). Data are represented as median and percentiles (25th-75th) and significant differences in serum sST2 levels are shown between UC and CD patients vs HC (A) and between active UC and other groups (B). Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves for sST2 cut-off point determination (C). ROC curves illustrate the specificity and sensitivity in serum sST2 level determination to differentiate active from inactive UC. A: ^bP < 0.01, CD vs HC; ^dP < 0.001, UC vs HC; B: ^bP < 0.001, active UC vs HC, non-IBD and inactive UC.

Figure 2 Analysis of serum sST2 and total intestinal ST2 levels in ulcerative colitis patients according to endoscopic and histopathological activity. Distribution of serum sST2 and total intestinal ST2 levels in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients according to the 4 rank Endoscopic Mayo Activity Score (A and C) (Activity: 0 = inactive; 1 = mild; 2 = moderate; 3 = severe) and histopathological score (B and D) (Degree of inflammation: 0 = normal; 1 = mild; 2 = moderate; 3 = severe with active ulceration). Data are represented as median and percentiles (25th-75th). Serum sST2 levels are significantly different among UC patient sub-groups of moderate and severe activity in relation to inactive and mild activity, independent of the score used. Total intestinal ST2 levels directly correlate with endoscopic activity (C) and degree of mucosal inflammation (D). A: ^bP < 0.001, 2 vs 0 and 1; ^dP < 0.001, 3 vs 0 and 1; B: ^bP < 0.01, 2 vs 0 and 1; ^dP < 0.001, 3 vs 0 and 1; C: ^aP < 0.05, 2 vs 1; ^dP < 0.01, 2 vs 0; ^fP < 0.001, 3 vs 0 and 1; D: ^bP < 0.01, 2 vs 1; ^dP < 0.001, 2 vs 0; ^fP < 0.001, 3 vs 0 and 1.

Figure 3 Graphic representation of the direct correlation between serum sST2 and total intestinal ST2 levels according to endoscopic activity scores. Activity: 0 = inactive; 1 = mild; 2 = moderate; 3 = severe. The trend lines for each analyzed group are shown. r: Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient.