Increased serum lysozyme as a marker of intestinal disorders with presumed immunological background
Krc, I.; Kojecký, Z.; Matousková, I.; Benýsek, L.
Acta Universitatis Palackianae Olomucensis Facultatis Medicae 106: 107-114
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0301-2514 PMID: 6242615 Document Number: 239544
Lysozyme (LSZ) is a nonspecific bacteriolytic enzyme which is produced mainly by granulocytes and mononuclear phagocytes. Serum LSZ concentrations were determined by the Ossermann method in 213 patients and 139 controls. Patients were classified in 5 groups: 1) idiopathic proctocolitis (63 patients); 2) Crohn's disease (90 patients); 3) celiac disease (23 patients); 4) intestinal lymphoma (18 patients); 5) colorectal carcinoma (19 patients). A statistically significant increase in the average levels of LSZ was evident above all in group 3 and group 4 (52.5 and 66.7% of abnormally elevated values, respectively). According to the results of sequential determinations, serum LSZ is important in monitoring the course of the disease and can serve as a useful parameter for the diagnosis. An attempt was made to correlate the obtained data with the number of peripheral blood monocytes, but a definite correlation was not established. Immunological mechanisms apparently are operating in producing the changes in serum LSZ, including intestinal accumulation of immunologically active cells.