STANDARDIZATION ISSUES FOR FECAL CALPROTECTIN MEASUREMENT IN INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE

Abstract

Fecal calprotectin (FC) is a non-invasive marker of intestinal inflammation that is often used to guide therapeutic decisions in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Each step in FC measurement can influence the results, leading to misinterpretation and potentially affecting the management of patients with IBD. To date, FC measurements are highly heterogeneous, and none of the existing methods is generally accepted as a standard. <b>Aim:</b> to provide a clear position on the preanalytical and analytical steps of FC measurement and to minimize the risk of misinterpretation. <b>Materials and methods.</b> A systematic search of the scientific literature was carried out in the PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane databases until June 2021 to identify all studies reporting data on FC measurement (for the key phrases "fecal markers of inflammation", "calprotectin", "inflammatory bowel diseases"). <b>Results.</b> Based on available data, quantitative tests should be preferred to measure FC; FC measurements should always be performed using the same method, and factors affecting his levels should be taken into account when interpreting results. <b>Conclusion.</b> FC concentrations determine treatment decisions by physicians. Although FC is playing an increasingly important role in the management of IBD patients, large multicenter studies should be conducted to determine the reproducibility and to confirm the diagnostic accuracy of the available FC tests.