What is Fecal Calprotectin?

When the intestines become inflamed due to conditions like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, more neutrophils migrate to the intestinal lining. This causes higher than normal levels of calprotectin to be released in the stool. Measuring fecal calprotectin levels can help determine if a patient has intestinal inflammation.

How is the Fecal Calprotectin Test Performed?

The Fecal Calprotectin Test is a noninvasive lab test that involves collecting a small sample of stool. Patients will receive a sample collection container from their doctor. For the test, they simply collect a small amount of stool and seal it in the container. The sample is then returned to the doctor’s office or shipped to a lab for analysis. No special diet or medication alterations are needed before the test. Results are usually available within a few days.

What do the Test Results Mean?

Normal fecal calprotectin levels are below 50 micrograms per gram of stool. Levels between 50-100 may indicate mild intestinal inflammation. Levels over 100 are considered elevated. Higher levels generally correspond to more severe intestinal inflammation. A level over 250 is strongly suggestive of inflammatory bowel disease like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. The test can also be used to monitor the effectiveness of treatment. Falling calprotectin levels often mean the treatment is controlling inflammation in the intestines.

Advantages of the Fecal Calprotectin Test

– Noninvasive- Unlike an endoscopy or colonoscopy, no special preparation or sedatives are required. Patients simply collect a stool sample at home.

– Objective Marker- Calprotectin levels provide an objective measurement of intestinal inflammation. This helps doctors determine if symptoms could be due to conditions like Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis.

– Monitor Treatment- Serial fecal calprotectin testing allows doctors to monitor how well a treatment is controlling inflammation over time. Falling levels usually mean the treatment is effective.

– Rule Out IBD- A normal calprotectin level makes inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) an unlikely cause of abdominal symptoms. This can help avoid unnecessary invasive testing.

– Predict Flares- Baseline calprotectin levels may help predict risk of future disease flares in patients with known IBD. Higher levels indicate higher risk.

The Role of Fecal Calprotectin in Diagnosis

Fecal calprotectin testing is often one of the first laboratory tests ordered when IBD is suspected. It provides an objective measurement of intestinal inflammation to help determine if invasive tests are warranted. Since it is noninvasive, calprotectin testing is also useful in children, pregnant women, and patients unwilling or unable to undergo colonoscopy.

A normal calprotectin level makes IBD an unlikely diagnosis in patients with nonspecific abdominal symptoms. This allows doctors to investigate other potential causes without concern for IBD. On the other hand, significantly elevated calprotectin indicates a high probability of underlying bowel inflammation from conditions like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. In these cases, endoscopy is usually pursued to make a definitive diagnosis.

Fecal Calprotectin in Monitoring Disease Activity

For patients who have been definitively diagnosed with IBD, serial calprotectin measurements can help monitor disease activity over time. Testing is often done every 3-6 months on patients in remission and more frequently for those with active disease. Rising calprotectin levels may indicate worsening intestinal inflammation before clinical symptoms appear. This allows treatment adjustments to be made preemptively.

Conversely, falling calprotectin levels during treatment suggest the medication regimen is effectively controlling inflammation in the bowels. Doctors may be able to reduce or hold off on medication dose escalations if calprotectin indicates a response. Stable low levels also help confirm ongoing clinical remission in patients with quiescent disease.

Limitations of Fecal Calprotectin

While fecal calprotectin is a useful marker for intestinal inflammation, the test does have some limitations:

– Other Causes- Rarely, other non-inflammatory conditions like infection, cancer or ischemic colitis can cause mildly elevated calprotectin.

– Patchy Disease- Calprotectin may be normal if Crohn’s only involves the very upper or lower gastrointestinal tract where the sample was not collected from.

– Medication Effects- Certain medications like antibiotics, NSAIDs, corticosteroids or immunomodulators can influence levels independent of actual intestinal inflammation.

– Acute Flare- Calprotectin may remain normal during very early or rapidly improving flares of IBD before resolving.

Overall, fecal calprotectin test is a valuable noninvasive test for gastroenterologists to evaluate and monitor intestinal inflammation. When combined with clinical presentation and endoscopic evaluation, it provides important objective information to guide management decisions in patients with suspected or known inflammatory bowel disease.

*Note:
1.Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2.We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it

About Author - Ravina Pandya

Ravina Pandya,a content writer, has a strong foothold in the market research industry. She specializes in writing well-researched articles from different industries, including food and beverages, information and technology, healthcare, chemicals and materials, etc. With an MBA in E-commerce, she has expertise in SEO-optimized content that resonates with industry professionals.  LinkedIn Profile