C-reactive protein levels during a relapse of Crohn’s disease are associated with the clinical course of the disease

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of patients with an index serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level ≤ 15 and > 15 mg/L

Index serum CRP level during relapse (mg/L)	≤15	> 15	P-value
	LCRP	HCRP
n	27	67
Time of follow-up, yr (SD)	10.8 (4.0)	10.3 (3.7)	NS
Demographic factors
Sex: men	12 (44.4%)	32 (47.7%)	NS
Mean age, yr (SD)	45 (13.5)	42 (11.0)	NS
Clinical features
Age at time of diagnosis (SD)	27.0 (8.3)	27.4 (10.8)	NS
Duration of disease, yr (SD)	18.0 (10.2)	14.3 (7.3)	NS
Localization
Terminal ileum	6 (22.2%)	8 (11.9%)	NS
Colon	7 ( 25.9%)	31 (46.2%)
Ileocolon	13 (48.1%)	26 (38.8%)
Upper gastrointestinal	1 (3.7%)	2 (3.0%)
Behaviour
Non-stricturing non penetrating	13 (48.1%)	26 (38.8%)	NS
Stricturing	7 (25.9%)	15 (22.4%)
Penetrating	7 (25.9%)	26 (38.8%)

Data are given in numbers and percentages, unless shown otherwise. Significance between the two groups is calculated. Localization and behaviour according to the Vienna Classification of Crohn's disease. HCRP: High CRP response; LCRP: Low CRP response; NS: No significance; SD: Standard deviation.

Table 2 Subgroups with an index serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level of ≤ 15 and > 15 mg/L, comparison of clinical findings, drug use, surgeries and related factors

Index serum CRP level during relapse (mg/L)	≤15	> 15	P-value
	LCRP	HCRP
Clinical findings
Mean number of relapses per year (SD)	0.25 (0.16)	0.36 (0.24)	< 0.05
Mean severity of the index relapse according to endoscopic reports, on a 10 points visual analogue scale (SD)	3.18 (1.09)	4.39 (1.24)	< 0.001
Drug use
Number of patients with prednisone use	23 (85.2%)	62 (92.5%)	NS
Mean number of days of prednisone use per year (SD)1	58 (48)	107 (95)	< 0.05
Surgeries
Number of patients who underwent ≥ 1 surgeries	12 (44.4%)	27 (37.3)	NS
Total number of surgeries23	2.0 (0.6)	1.7 (0.09)	NS
Related factors
Smoking: n	23	58
smokers	8 (34.8%)	24 (41.4%)	NS
non-smokers	11 (47.8%)	24 (41.4%)
quitted smokers	4 (17.4%)	10 (17.2%)
Presence of granulomas: n	22	51
	8 (36.4%)	25 (49.0%)	NS

¹Number of days are based on the mean number of months per year;

²Calculated mean is based on these patients who underwent surgery;

³Total of ileocecalresection, partial ileum resection, partial colon resection, (sub) total colectomy and proctectomy. HCRP: High CRP response; LCRP: Low CRP response; NS: No significance; SD: Standard deviation. Data are given in number and percentage, unless shown otherwise.