Calprotectin
What for
Often, many people complain of abdominal pain, whether mild or severe, accompanied by episodes of diarrhea or constipation and a feeling of bloating after meals. These episodes are sometimes associated with high stress. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), also commonly known as spastic colitis, can present with such symptoms.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a collection of symptoms, including cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation. People with IBS experience some of these symptoms for at least 3 months.
While IBS can negatively impact a person’s quality of life, it does not lead to serious diseases such as cancer and does not cause permanent damage to the colon.
Most people with IBS can relieve their symptoms through dietary changes and stress avoidance. For some individuals, symptoms of IBS can be severe enough to cause difficulty in going to work or traveling, even for short distances.
Differential diagnosis should include Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), which involves chronic inflammatory diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. IBS has similar symptoms but is a psychosomatic condition with a different approach to treatment. Differentiating between IBD and IBS is crucial for appropriate treatment and improving the patient’s quality of life. Diagnosis of IBD is made through colonoscopy and biopsy.
What is Calprotectin?
Calprotectin is a non-invasive, cost-effective test that is very useful for distinguishing between IBD and IBS, as it can reduce the number of colonoscopies in patients with similar symptoms by 50-70%. In IBS, calprotectin levels are typically normal.
In the blood, red blood cells play a vital role in providing oxygen and removing carbon dioxide from the body due to the hemoglobin they contain. White blood cells help defend the body against infection and foreign substances. Calprotectin is a protein found in white blood cells with strong antimicrobial and antifungal properties. It is activated when inflammation occurs (regardless of the cause) and can be used as a diagnostic marker.
The concentration of calprotectin in stool samples from patients diagnosed with Crohn's disease is directly related to the severity of inflammation and shows increasing levels according to the progression of the condition. Therefore, when symptoms arise from the lower digestive tract, a calprotectin stool test is recommended to determine if it is an inflammatory bowel condition that requires further investigation.
Advantages of Calprotectin Measurement
Measuring calprotectin in stool is an easy, reliable, non-invasive method for detecting inflammation of the gastrointestinal mucosa. It requires no special preparation and is performed with a stool sample that you can bring to the laboratory, without any prior dietary restrictions.
Therapeutic interventions guided by calprotectin measurement in stool can reduce the need for invasive colonoscopies and help in utilizing more effective treatment regimens for patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). The use of calprotectin tests supports improvements in patient management and offers significant cost savings.
Calprotectin is used to help differentiate between IBS and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). It is also used to assess the effectiveness of treatment and to predict the risk of disease flare-ups in patients with IBD. Children often have slightly higher levels of calprotectin compared to adults.
Calprotectin Levels – Result Evaluation
Negative Result: <50 µg/g It is widely accepted that a calprotectin result <50 µg/g is considered negative. Therefore, it is unlikely that symptoms are caused by IBD. If symptoms persist but calprotectin levels are low, other causes for the symptoms should be explored, such as IBS, celiac disease, food allergies, or intolerances.
Positive Result: >200 µg/g Calprotectin levels >200 µg/g are generally considered positive and will most often lead to referral to a gastroenterologist for further investigation to determine the cause of these elevated values, particularly for inflammatory diseases like IBD.
Intermediate Range Result Results in the intermediate or grey zone (50 – 200 µg/g)
There are certain conditions that can cause a moderate or temporary increase in calprotectin levels without IBD:
Bacterial infection
Mild diverticulitis
Anything irritating the intestinal lining and causing an inflammatory response:
Use of NSAIDs, such as aspirin or ibuprofen
Excessive alcohol consumption
Certain medications, e.g., proton pump inhibitors
When values fall into this range without an obvious explanation (such as medication use), it is recommended to repeat the test in 2-3 weeks to determine if calprotectin levels have returned to normal or if they continue to rise, thus requiring further investigation.
What for - Calprotectin
Often, many people complain of abdominal pain, whether mild or severe, accompanied by episodes of diarrhea or constipation and a feeling of bloating after meals. These episodes are sometimes associated with high stress. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), also commonly known as spastic colitis, can present with such symptoms.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a collection of symptoms, including cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation. People with IBS experience some of these symptoms for at least 3 months.
While IBS can negatively impact a person’s quality of life, it does not lead to serious diseases such as cancer and does not cause permanent damage to the colon.
Most people with IBS can relieve their symptoms through dietary changes and stress avoidance. For some individuals, symptoms of IBS can be severe enough to cause difficulty in going to work or traveling, even for short distances.
Differential diagnosis should include Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), which involves chronic inflammatory diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. IBS has similar symptoms but is a psychosomatic condition with a different approach to treatment. Differentiating between IBD and IBS is crucial for appropriate treatment and improving the patient’s quality of life. Diagnosis of IBD is made through colonoscopy and biopsy.
What is Calprotectin?
Calprotectin is a non-invasive, cost-effective test that is very useful for distinguishing between IBD and IBS, as it can reduce the number of colonoscopies in patients with similar symptoms by 50-70%. In IBS, calprotectin levels are typically normal.
In the blood, red blood cells play a vital role in providing oxygen and removing carbon dioxide from the body due to the hemoglobin they contain. White blood cells help defend the body against infection and foreign substances. Calprotectin is a protein found in white blood cells with strong antimicrobial and antifungal properties. It is activated when inflammation occurs (regardless of the cause) and can be used as a diagnostic marker.
The concentration of calprotectin in stool samples from patients diagnosed with Crohn's disease is directly related to the severity of inflammation and shows increasing levels according to the progression of the condition. Therefore, when symptoms arise from the lower digestive tract, a calprotectin stool test is recommended to determine if it is an inflammatory bowel condition that requires further investigation.
Advantages of Calprotectin Measurement
Measuring calprotectin in stool is an easy, reliable, non-invasive method for detecting inflammation of the gastrointestinal mucosa. It requires no special preparation and is performed with a stool sample that you can bring to the laboratory, without any prior dietary restrictions.
Therapeutic interventions guided by calprotectin measurement in stool can reduce the need for invasive colonoscopies and help in utilizing more effective treatment regimens for patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). The use of calprotectin tests supports improvements in patient management and offers significant cost savings.
Calprotectin is used to help differentiate between IBS and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). It is also used to assess the effectiveness of treatment and to predict the risk of disease flare-ups in patients with IBD. Children often have slightly higher levels of calprotectin compared to adults.
Calprotectin Levels – Result Evaluation
Negative Result: <50 µg/g It is widely accepted that a calprotectin result <50 µg/g is considered negative. Therefore, it is unlikely that symptoms are caused by IBD. If symptoms persist but calprotectin levels are low, other causes for the symptoms should be explored, such as IBS, celiac disease, food allergies, or intolerances.
Positive Result: >200 µg/g Calprotectin levels >200 µg/g are generally considered positive and will most often lead to referral to a gastroenterologist for further investigation to determine the cause of these elevated values, particularly for inflammatory diseases like IBD.
Intermediate Range Result Results in the intermediate or grey zone (50 – 200 µg/g)
There are certain conditions that can cause a moderate or temporary increase in calprotectin levels without IBD:
Bacterial infection
Mild diverticulitis
Anything irritating the intestinal lining and causing an inflammatory response:
Use of NSAIDs, such as aspirin or ibuprofen
Excessive alcohol consumption
Certain medications, e.g., proton pump inhibitors
When values fall into this range without an obvious explanation (such as medication use), it is recommended to repeat the test in 2-3 weeks to determine if calprotectin levels have returned to normal or if they continue to rise, thus requiring further investigation.
