Crohn's disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease, a chronic condition of inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. It is an autoimmune disorder, a type of condition in which the body attacks its own tissue, mistaking it as foreign or dangerous. This response then leads to chronic inflammation. One of the tests to measure inflammation is the C-reactive protein, or CRP. Although not specific to Crohn's disease, CRP is a valuable test to monitor inflammation in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
Test
C-reactive protein is an acute phase reactant, one of a group of substances produced by the liver and released into the bloodstream in response to inflammation. According to Lab Tests Online, CRP also becomes elevated with infections, during heart attacks, after surgical procedures and in response to pain. While not specific to a condition in particular, the CRP test can help guide further evaluations for causes of infection or inflammation and can be used to assess the body's response to a particular treatment. In patients with Crohn's disease, an increase in CRP can alert doctors of a flare-up of inflammation.
Causes
The exact cause of Crohn's disease is not known. What is known is that the immune system in people with Crohn's disease exhibits an autoimmune reaction, causing inflammation in the intestines. Contrary to ulcerative colitis, the other type of inflammatory bowel disease that only affects the large intestine, people with Crohn's can have inflammation anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract, from the mouth to the anus. According to MedlinePlus, Crohn's disease usually occurs in people between 15 and 35 years of age.
Symptoms
The symptoms of Crohn's disease vary, depending on the part of the gastrointestinal tract affected by inflammation. In general, people have abdominal cramps, fever, fatigue, weight loss and diarrhea. If the inflammation is localized in the large intestine, patients with Crohn's can have copious blood in their stools. Other symptoms include constipation, inflammation of the eyes, arthritis, mouth ulcers, rashes and swelling of the gums. The CRP is usually markedly elevated in patients with Crohn's, and with the other symptoms, it helps in making the diagnosis.
Treatment
The treatment of Crohn's involves long-term nutritional support to optimize caloric intake. Iron supplements are important if rectal bleeding leads to anemia. Steroids and other anti-inflammatory drugs can be used during flare-ups of inflammation. A group of medicines called immunomodulators can help in controlling the body's autoimmune reaction and may decrease the need for steroids, which can have long-term adverse side effects. A decreasing CRP level is a sign that the treatment is effective at reducing inflammation.
