Use

This test is used for distinguishing between ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease in patients for whom the specific diagnosis is unclear based on endoscopic, pathologic, and imaging evaluations. It is not useful for determining the extent of disease in patients with inflammatory bowel disease or determining the response to disease-specific therapy including surgical resection of diseased intestine. The presence of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in the absence of IgA and IgG anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies is consistent with the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis; the presence of IgA and IgG ASCA in the absence of ANCA is consistent with Crohn disease.