Calprotectin / REF: HYE-5767

Calprotectin

• Calprotectin is a calcium-binding protein secreted predominantly by neutrophils and monocytes.
• Fecal calprotectin is a marker for acute inflammation in general and for neoplastic and inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases (1-3). It is often difficult to distinguish between irritable bowel syndrome and chronic inflammaÂtory bowel disease. This can lead to extensive and unnecessary colonoscopic examinations. In contrast, the fecal calprotectin test allows clear differentiation between patients with inflammatory bowel disease (acute Morbus CrohnÔs disease and ulcerative colitis) and irritable bowel syndrome (4-9). Fecal calprotectin levels correlate significantly with histologic and endoscopic assessment of disease activity in Morbus CrohnÔs disease and ulcerative colitis as well as with the fecal excretion of indium-111-labelled neutrophilic granulocytes that has been suggested as the Ògold standardÒ of disease activity in inflammatory bowel disease (10).
• Elevated levels of calprotectin are a much better predictor of relapse of inflammatory bowel disease than standard inflamma-tory markers (11). Comparing this marker with standard fecal occult blood screening in colorectal cancer demonstrates clearly the diagnostic advantages of the fecal calprotectin test. The parameter is of a high diagnostic value: if the calprotectin level in stool is low, the probability is high that no organic intestinal disease exists.