Which inflammatory marker is commonly elevated in patients with Crohn's disease?

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a key inflammatory marker that is typically elevated in patients with Crohn's disease. This protein is produced by the liver in response to inflammation, and its levels in the bloodstream increase during episodes of inflammation, which are common in Crohn's disease due to the nature of the condition. Elevated CRP levels can be used to assess disease activity and monitor responses to treatment.

In Crohn's disease, the immune system is chronically activated, leading to inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. This chronic inflammation results in increased production of CRP, making it a valuable biomarker for clinicians in evaluating the severity of the disease, monitoring flare-ups, and making treatment decisions.

Other markers such as the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) are also used in clinical practice to assess inflammation, but CRP is often preferred due to its more rapid response to changes in inflammatory activity and a closer correlation with clinical symptoms and disease activity in inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is involved in the inflammatory response but is not routinely measured in clinical practice. Procalcitonin is primarily used as a marker for bacterial infection rather than for assessing inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn