Use of Calprest® in the diagnosis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Abstract

Background: Between November 2000 and February 2001 a study has been performed by eight Italian hospital centers with the aim of verifying the usefulness of Calprest® (detection of fecal calprotectin) as a marker of bowel inflammation. Preliminary data are reported.Objective: To define the use of fecal calprotectin as a marker of intestinal inflammation, to assess whether it might help in differentiating between IBS and IBD, and its role in IBD.Subjects: Healthy population (51), active Crohn (16), non active or under remission Crohn (11), active ulcerative Colitis (8), non active or under remission ulcerative Colitis (13), pathological Controls of various nature (79).Results: The calculated cut-of value was 65 μgr/gr.42/51 healthy subjects were negative. 16/16 patients with active CD were all positive. 8/8 patients with RCU were also positive.Conclusion: Calprest® might become an important tool in the in-vitro diagnosis of patients referred to the gastroenterology departments. The results achieved in this study demonstrate that a negative test result is an index of absence of inflammatory bowel disease.High Calprest® values (fecal calprotectin) are present, as highlighted by this study, in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.