Serum matrix metalloproteinase-9 concentration as a marker of disease activity in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background And Aim: Diagnosing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), determining the appropriate treatment and follow-up of patients rely mainly on endoscopy and biopsy. Finding a sensitive, specific, cost-effective and less-invasive biomarker is the focus of much of the current research in this field. The aim was to investigate the relation between serum matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) levels and disease activity in patients with IBD, correlating with clinical and endoscopic indices of disease activity and with treatment received.