Plasma soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 in Crohn's disease.

Background: No definite conclusions can be drawn from available data on the accuracy of soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) to assess disease activity in Crohn's disease.

Aims: Plasma sTREM-1 levels were correlated with disease activity markers in Crohn's disease.

Methods: 191 consecutive patients from a single referral centre (Nancy IBD cohort) were prospectively enrolled between June 1, 2005 and December 12, 2008. Plasma sTREM-1 levels were also assessed amongst 20 healthy controls.

Results: The sTREM-1 was detectable in 87 Crohn's disease patients (46%). Plasma sTREM-1 level was higher in Crohn's disease patients (interquartile range, 0-356) than in healthy controls (interquartile range, 0-15.1; P=0.01). It was neither correlated with Crohn's disease activity index (r=0.05, P=0.56), C-reactive protein (r=0.06, P=0.53), nor with albumin (r=-0.041, P=0.66). Crohn's disease activity index, C-reactive protein and albumin median levels were similar between patients with positive sTREM-1 levels and those with undetectable sTREM-1 levels. Azathioprine (P=0.06), infliximab (P=0.68) and methotrexate (P=0.56) did not influence sTREM-1 levels.

Conclusion: Plasma sTREM-1 does not appear to be an accurate marker of disease activity in Crohn's disease and cannot be recommended for assessing disease activity in these patients.