Serological markers of inflammatory bowel disease in children from the western region of Saudi Arabia

Serological markers including peri-nuclear anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies [pANCA] and anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies [ASCA] have been reported in relation to inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]. The aim of this study was to ascertain the prevalence and diagnostic accuracy of pANCA and ASCA antibodies in Saudi children with IBD. A retrospective case-control study of children with IBD seen at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, between September 2002 and February 2012. The study included 131 patients with IBD [86 Crohn's disease [CD] and 45 ulcerative colitis [UC]] and 67 non-IBD control subjects. Females comprised 51% of CD, 60% of UC and 52% of non-IBD controls. The mean age was 10.7 +/- 5.2 years for CD, 8.9 +/- 5 years for UC, and 11.2 +/- 6.8 years for the non-IBD controls. Positive ASCA-IgA and ASCA-IgG were detected in 35.8% and 35% of CD patients and in 5.8% and 3.7% of the non-IBD controls, respectively. The pANCA was detected in 28.9% of UC patients and in none of the non-IBD controls. The pANCA recognised the myeloperoxidase [MPO] antibody in 36.4% of the patients with UC. No significant difference in the frequency of pANCA between extensive disease and disease limited to the rectosigmoid colon [p = 0.48], and no significant difference in the ASCAs antibodies in patients with or without involvement of the terminal ileum [p = 0.81]. The prevalence of ASCA and pANCA antibodies was low in Saudi children with IBD. Therefore, it may not be useful as a screening tool for IBD but it may be employed to aid the diagnosis in clinically suspected cases