Fecal calprotectin and alpha-1 antitrypsin predict severity and response to corticosteroids in gastrointestinal graft-versus-host disease

Blood. 2012 Jun 14;119(24):5909-17. doi: 10.1182/blood-2011-12-397968. Epub 2012 May 3.

Abstract

Diagnosis of gastrointestinal GVHD (GI-GVHD) is based on clinical symptoms and histologic findings. No biomarkers predicting responses to treatment are routinely available even though 30% to 50% of patients will not respond to corticosteroids. In this study, we aimed to evaluate fecal calprotectin, α-1-antitrypsin (α(1)-AT), and elastase at the time of first symptoms as diagnostic and prognostic tools for GI-GVHD in 72 consecutive patients, of whom 51 developed GI-GVHD. The prognostic value of markers was evaluated by their association with complete response (CR) and steroid-resistant (SR) GVHD. Calprotectin and α(1)-AT concentrations increased with GI-GVHD initial stages but patients with initial stage 1 GI-GVHD had similar marker levels to patients without GI-GVHD, so sensitivity to diagnose GI-GVHD was weak. In contrast, calprotectin and α(1)-AT were predictors for SR-GVHD and CR. Multiple regression modeling identified calprotectin and α(1)-AT concentration as independently predicting SR-GVHD together with initial stage > 2 GI-GVHD. Our results showed that fecal calprotectin and α(1)-AT levels at the time of diagnosis are predictive for responses to treatment but are not diagnostic markers for initial stage 1 to 3 GI-GVHD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones / pharmacology
  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones / therapeutic use*
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Child
  • Drug Resistance
  • Feces / chemistry*
  • Female
  • Gastrointestinal Tract / drug effects
  • Gastrointestinal Tract / pathology*
  • Graft vs Host Disease / diagnosis
  • Graft vs Host Disease / drug therapy*
  • Graft vs Host Disease / metabolism*
  • Graft vs Host Disease / pathology
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / adverse effects
  • Humans
  • Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pancreatic Elastase / metabolism
  • Regression Analysis
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Survival Analysis
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Young Adult
  • alpha 1-Antitrypsin / metabolism*

Substances

  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones
  • Biomarkers
  • Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex
  • alpha 1-Antitrypsin
  • Pancreatic Elastase