Trefoil factor-3 is not a useful marker of mucosal healing in Crohn's disease treated with anti-TNF-α antibodies

Table 1 Correlation of Crohn’s disease endoscopic activity assessed by Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn’s disease with clinical and biochemical parameters recorded at the same time

	Simple endoscopic score for Crohn’s disease vs biochemical parameters
	CDAI	Albumin	WBC	PLT	CRP	Hb	Ferritin	Fibrinogen	ESR
R value	0.66	-0.62	0.3500	0.4400	0.57	-0.40	0.12	0.59	0.57
P value	< 0.0001	< 0.0001	0.0071	0.0005	< 0.0001	0.0018	0.41	< 0.0001	< 0.0001

Endoscopy was performed in 29 patients before and after the induction therapy with anti-TNF-α agents (n = 58). CDAI: Crohn’s Disease Activity Index; WBC: White blood count; PLT: Platelets; CRP: C-reactive protein; Hb: Hemoglobin; ESR: Erythrocyte sedimentation rate; SES-CD: Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn's Disease.

Table 2 Clinical, biochemical and demographic characteristics of Crohn’s disease patients with or without successful mucosal healing in response to anti-TNF-α therapy n (%)

Feature	All (n = 29)	MH-group (n = 18)	Non-MH group(n = 11)	MH vs non-MH
Change in Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn’s disease over time (%)	-55 [-72-(-37)]	-70 [-81-(-56)]	-33 [-38-(-8)]	P < 0.0001
Age (yr)	27 (21-35)	22 (21-30)	35 (27-39)	P = 0.02
Men	21 (72)	15 (83)	5 (45)	P = 0.04
Disease duration (yr)	6 (3-11)	6 (5-10)	6 (3-12)	P = 0.77
Baseline Crohn’s disease Activity Index (n)	319 (298-420)	310 (240-397)	348 (301-440)	P = 0.26
Baseline Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn’s disease (n)	15 (8-21)	16 (8-23)	12 (8-20)	P = 0.36
Baseline C-reactive protein (mg/L)	9.8 (2.8-31.2)	8.7 (2.3-18.2)	18.6 (3.7-34.5)	P = 0.15
Baseline hemoglobin (g/dL)	12.9 (10.1-14)	12 (9.9-13.5)	13.1 (10.2-14.8)	P = 0.60
Baseline albumin (mg/dL)	4.2 (3.6-4.4)	4.1 (3.5-4.4)	4.2 (3.7-4.4)	P = 0.84
Disease location
L1 (ileal)	3/29 (10)	1/18 (5)	2/11 (18)	P = 0.53
L2 (colonic)	9/29 (31)	5/18 (28)	4/11 (36)	P = 0.69
L3 (ileocolonic)	17/29 (59)	12/18 (67)	5/11 (46)	P = 0.43
Disease behavior
B1 (inflammatory)	24/29 (83)	14/18 (78)	10/11 (91)	P = 0.62
B2 (stricturing)	1/29 (3)	1/18 (5)	0/11 (0)	P = 1.00
B3 (penetrating)	4/29 (14)	3/18 (17)	1/11 (9)	P = 1.00
Medications
Steroids	19/29 (65)	10/18 (55)	9/11 (82)	P = 0.23
Azathioprine	15/29 (52)	12/18 (67)	3/11 (27)	P = 0.06
Aminosalicylates	28/29 (96)	18/18 (100)	10/11 (91)	P = 0.37
Anti-TNF-α agent used: adalimumab/infliximab	17/12 (59/41)	11/7 (61/39)	6/5 (55/45)	P = 0.51

The data are presented as medians with interquartile ranges. MH: Mucosal healing.