Digestive and liver disease : official journal of the Italian Society of Gastroenterology and the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver
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Comparative Study
Whole gut lavage fluid interleukin-1beta and interleukin-8 in smokers and non-smokers with Crohn's disease in clinical remission.
Smoking in patients with Crohn's disease is associated with more frequent relapse. The mechanism responsible is unknown but a direct pro-inflammatory action on intestinal mucosa has been postulated. Mucosal inflammation in clinically inactive Crohn's disease predicts forthcoming relapse. Whole gut lavage fluid obtained after bowel cleansing with a polyethylene glycol electrolyte solution is an assessment of gut inflammation and immunity. ⋯ Markers of mucosal inflammation in inactive Crohn's disease are lower in smokers than non-smokers. This is against the hypothesis that nicotine exerts a direct pro-inflammatory action via interleukin-1beta and interleukin-8. Further research is required to elucidate the exact mechanisms involved.