EVALUATING SERUM C-REACTIVE PROTEIN AND FIBRINOGEN AS PREDICTIVE BIOMARKERS FOR ULCERATIVE COLITIS EXACERBATIONS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Ulcerative colitis (UC), a chronic inflammatory bowel disease, exhibits recurrent episodes of mucosal inflammation marked by alternating phases of remission and exacerbation. Accurate prediction of disease flares remains a clinical challenge, emphasizing the need for reliable biomarkers. This experimental study evaluates the predictive value of C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and fibrinogen levels in anticipating flare-ups in patients with confirmed UC diagnoses. A total of 120 participants were recruited and stratified into active flare-up and remission groups based on clinical, endoscopic, and histological parameters. Serum CRP and fibrinogen concentrations were quantitatively analyzed and correlated with Mayo scores and endoscopic findings. Results demonstrated significantly elevated levels of CRP (p < 0.001) and fibrinogen (p = 0.002) in the flare-up group compared to the remission cohort. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis identified CRP and fibrinogen as statistically significant predictors of disease exacerbation with sensitivity and specificity surpassing conventional inflammatory indices. These findings underscore the clinical utility of CRP and fibrinogen in early detection of UC flare-ups, providing a non-invasive adjunct to endoscopy. This study presents novel comparative data with strong statistical significance, potentially bridging a current gap in timely disease activity monitoring. Incorporation of these biomarkers may facilitate proactive disease management and individualized therapeutic strategies in UC care.