Evaluation of Albumin, Transferrin and Transthyretin in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients as Disease Activity and Nutritional Status Biomarkers

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is often accompanied by malnutrition that manifests itself as nutrient deficiencies and body mass loss or deficit. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the utility of albumin, transferrin and transthyretin levels in the assessment of nutritional status and IBD activity. The case–control study included 82 IBD patients. The serum concentrations of albumin, transferrin and transthyretine were determined by a quantitative sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Significantly lower median concentrations of albumin were found in the IBD patients vs. controls and in CD patients compared to the UC patients. Significantly higher median transthyretin concentrations were found in the IBD patients compared to the healthy subjects. There were no significant differences in median transferrin concentrations between the IBD patients and the healthy subjects. Significantly higher albumin levels were found in IBD patients in remission compared to patients with moderate and severe exacerbation of IBD symptoms. There were no significant differences in the median transferrin or transthyretin levels in patients with IBD depending on disease activity. No differences were identified in the median transferrin or transthyretin levels in the IBD patients according to nutritional status. The median albumin concentrations in the IBD subjects were significantly higher in patients with normal body fat, normal BMI and normal waist circumferences compared to those with an abnormal nutritional status. The albumin levels reflect both nutritional status and disease activity and therefore cannot be considered a prognostic marker of malnutrition in IBD. As regards the utility of transferrin and transthyretin as markers of activity and nutritional status in IBD patients, further studies are required.