Increased concentrations of eosinophilic cationic protein in whole-gut lavage fluid from children with inflammatory bowel disease

Background: Eosinophils may be involved in the pathogenesis of inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease. The purpose of this study was to verify whether concentrations of eosinophilic cationic protein in gut lavage fluid from children with inflammatory bowel disease correlate with clinical and laboratory indexes of disease activity. Methods: Twenty-three children with Crohn's disease, 14 with ulcerative colitis, and 22 age-matched control subjects entered the study. Radioimmunoassay and sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay techniques were used to measure eosinophilic cationic protein, total immunoglobulin G and interleukin-1β, respectively. Results: Gut lavage eosinophilic cationic protein levels were significantly (p < 0.005) higher in patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis than in control subjects. Intestinal eosinophilic cationic protein levels decreased in three of four children with Crohn's disease who were fed an elemental diet. There was a significant (p < 0.001) correlation between eosinophilic cationic protein concentrations and immunoglobulin G and interleukin-1 β levels in gut lavage fluid. Conclusions: Elevated intestinal eosinophilic cationic protein levels in inflammatory bowel disease suggest that eosinophils are involved in the gastrointestinal inflammation in this disease. Intestinal eosinophilic cationic protein concentration is another marker with which to discriminate between active and inactive inflammatory bowel disease.