Influence of total colectomy on serum antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in inflammatory bowel disease

Perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (pANCAs) have previously been demonstrated in patients with various forms of vasculitis and more recently in those with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by an indirect immunofluorescence technique. Sera from 194 patients were tested for pANCAs:101 with ulcerative colitis (43 with varying grades of disease severity, 19 after subtotal colectomy, 39 following restorative proctocolectomy), 4Q with Crohn's disease, five with indeterminate colitis, 24 patients without IBD and 24 healthy volunteers (controls). The overall prevalence of pANCAs in patients with ulcerative colitis was 70.3 per cent (71 of 101)