Case Control Study
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World J Gastroenterol. Aug 21, 2014; 20(31): 10916-10920
Published online Aug 21, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i31.10916
Serum beta 2-microglobulin as a biomarker in inflammatory bowel disease
Bülent Yılmaz, Seyfettin Köklü, Osman Yüksel, Serap Arslan
Bülent Yılmaz, Seyfettin Köklü, Osman Yüksel, Serap Arslan, Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Sihhiye, 06100 Ankara, Turkey
Author contributions: Yılmaz B designed the study, collected the data, and drafted the manuscript; Köklü S and Yüksel O collected and analyzed the data; Arslan S designed the study and reviewed the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Bülent Yılmaz, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Sihhiye, Beytepe Mah., 06100 Ankara, Turkey. bulent.yilmaz@hacettepe.edu.tr
Telephone: +90-505-2993076 Fax: +90-312-3052302
Received: December 26, 2013
Revised: April 2, 2014
Accepted: May 23, 2014
Published online: August 21, 2014
Core Tip

Core tip: Endoscopy has been the gold standard for diagnosing and following patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, it is still an expensive and invasive method. Beta 2 microglobulin levels of intestinal inflammation represent an easy, non-invasive, cheap and objective diagnostic biomarker for active IBD.