BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate plasma transforming 
growth factor-B1 concentration in patients with inflammatory bowel disease at 
different stages of disease activation and to compare these values with those of 
healthy controls.
METHODS: A total of 70 patients (31 women) evaluated in the Inflammatory Bowel 
Disease Clinics of TUrkiye YUksek Ihtisas Hospital, Gastroenterology Department, 
and 20 healthy controls (10 women) were enrolled in the study. Serum samples 
were obtained from 40 patients with ulcerative colitis (female/male: 18/22, mean 
age: 41.5+/-12), 30 patients with Crohn's disease (female/male: 17/13, mean age: 
36.9+/-1.9) and 20 healthy controls (female/ male: 10/10, mean age: 32.1+/-1.7). 
The control group included normal blood donors without gastrointestinal 
complaints or a familial history of inflammatory bowel disease. Clinical 
activity in Chron's disease was measured by Crohn disease activity index and in 
ulcerative colitis patients by Rachmilewitz endoscopic index. Chron's disease 
patients with a Chron's disease activity index >150 and ulcerative colitis 
patients with a Rachmilewitz index > or =4 were accepted to have active disease. 
Determination of transforming growth factor-B1 level was performed with the 
enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay.
RESULTS: Serum transforming growth factor-B1 levels were measured as: Chron's 
disease 1133.3+/-766.5 pg/ml, ulcerative colitis 1362.5+/-880.6 pg/ml and 
control group 1230.0+/-572.7 pg/ml. There were no significant differences 
between the three groups. In patients with active disease in ulcerative colitis, 
transforming growth factor-B1 level was measured as 1952.5+/-543.7, while this 
value was 772.5+/-750.5 in patientsin remission in ulcerative colitis. There was 
a significant difference between patients with active ulcerative colitis and 
remission ulcerative colitis.
CONCLUSIONS: In inflammatory bowel disease, transforming growth factor-B1 can be 
used as a marker for differential diagnosis of active ulcerative colitis 
patients and remission ulcerative colitis patients. Nevertheless, more studies 
with larger patient groups are necessary.