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Muramidase (lysozyme) in Crohn's disease and in ulcerative colitis

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Abstract

Estimation of lysozyme (LZM) activity in the serum was suggested as a valuable test to distinguish between Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Subsequently several reports either supported or denied the original observation. Selection of patients and methodological differences were suggested as an explanation for the controversy. We estimated serum LZM in a large group of patients using the lysoplate method and human LZM as a standard. The conditions of the assay were strictly standardized. In 90 patients with Crohn's disease the LZM level was 8.3±2.1 (sd) μg/ml, in 57 patients with ulcerative colitis it was 7.4±2.0 (sd) μg/ml, and in 40 healthy individuals it was 7.0±1.2 (sd) μg/ml. Although the difference between the mean LZM levels in Crohn's disease and in ulcerative colitis was statistically significant, there was a definite overlapping of values between these two diseases. No significant correlation of LZM level to the duration or extent of the disease, activity, or treatment was found in Crohn's disease. In ulcerative colitis the LZM level was often a little higher in severe disease, especially when the whole colon was involved.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Immunology and Gastroenterology, The Wellesley Hospital, University of Toronto, M4Y, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    W. Pruzanski MD, N. Marcon MD, C. Ottaway MD & E. Prokipchuk MD

  2. the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinic, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, M4Y 1J3, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    W. Pruzanski MD, N. Marcon MD, C. Ottaway MD & E. Prokipchuk MD

Authors
  1. W. Pruzanski MD
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  2. N. Marcon MD
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  3. C. Ottaway MD
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  4. E. Prokipchuk MD
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Supported in part by grant-in-aid from the Medical Research Council of Canada.

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Pruzanski, W., Marcon, N., Ottaway, C. et al. Muramidase (lysozyme) in Crohn's disease and in ulcerative colitis. Digest Dis Sci 22, 995–998 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01076199

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