Serum Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor in Pediatric Crohn's Disease (Implications for Wound Healing)

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Abstract
Basic fibroblast growth factor is aheparin-binding protein known to stimulate angiogenesisand promote wound healing in tissues. Since Crohn'sdisease is characterized in part by submucosal vascularproliferation, we sought to determine whether serum basicfibroblast growth factor is elevated in children withCrohn's disease and whether serum levels reflect diseaseactivity. Sera were obtained from 64 children with Crohn's disease, 44 children with ulcerativecolitis, 20 children with functional abdominal pain, and29 from children with documented inflammatory diseaseevaluated in our gastroenterology program. Disease activity indices and clinical data weregathered prospectively for the inflammatory boweldisease patients. Serum basic fibroblast growth factorlevels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbentassay. Although the mean basic fibroblast growthfactor level did not significantly differ betweenchildren with Crohn's disease and other conditions,there was a strong (r = 0.53, P < 0.001) correlationbetween basic fibroblast growth factor level and diseaseactivity. The relationship of basic fibroblast growthfactor with disease activity persisted even afteradjusting for other covariates (including age, sex,hematocrit, albumin, and sedimentation rate) in amultivariate linear regression model. There was also astatistically significant, although less strongcorrelation (r = 0.33, P = 0.03) between basicfibroblast growth factor level and disease activity in ulcerativecolitis. While basic fibroblast growth factor is not aspecific marker for Crohn's disease, serum levelsreflect disease activity. Therefore, basic fibroblast growth factor release may be important inmediating the angiogenesis and wound healing seen inCrohn's disease.