Fecal calprotectin. Quantitative determination.

Recommendations:

• The stool is delivered to the laboratory for examination within 2 hours of collection. If the delivery time exceeds 2 hours, it is necessary to use containers with a preservative for transporting the material.
• The container with feces is tightly closed with a lid, packed in a clean disposable bag and delivered to the laboratory.
• Stools should not be submitted for testing after an enema, suppository insertion, or castor oil administration. Stools for testing should not contain foreign substances, such as urine.
• In newborn babies, feces are collected from the diaper or nappy immediately after defecation.

Gastrointestinal diseases are a serious problem for many people around the world. These diseases can vary greatly in nature and severity. Diagnosis and determination of the degree of inflammatory process in the gastrointestinal tract are important for proper treatment and planning of further management of the disease. One useful tool in diagnosis is the measurement of fecal calprotectin levels.

Calprotectin is a protein found in most intestinal secretions and becomes visible in feces during inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract. Measuring the level of calprotectin in feces has become a popular method for diagnosing and monitoring the degree of inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract.

Advantages of using calprotectin in diagnostics:

1. Non-removable ignition indicator: High levels of calprotectin indicate inflammation in the intestines. This helps doctors distinguish inflammatory processes from other problems, such as irritator syndrome or infectious diseases.
2. Early diagnosis: Measuring calprotectin levels can help detect gastrointestinal disease at an early stage, when clinical symptoms are not yet very pronounced.
3. Post-treatment follow-up: After starting treatment, calprotectin levels can be measured to assess the effectiveness of the therapy. An improvement in calprotectin levels may indicate the success of the treatment.
4. Level of severity of the diseaseCalprotectin measurement can help assess the severity of inflammation. Higher levels of calprotectin may indicate more severe intestinal damage.
5. Differential diagnosis: Considering calprotectin levels and clinical findings, doctors can distinguish between different forms of gastrointestinal diseases, such as Crohn's disease and associated colitis.

The procedure for measuring calprotectin is quite simple. The patient collects a stool sample, which is then analyzed in a laboratory. The results can be available within a few days. They are usually expressed in micrograms of calprotectin per gram of stool.

Given that the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases can be complex and time-consuming, measuring fecal calprotectin is becoming an important part of the diagnosis and management of these diseases. It helps doctors make informed treatment decisions and monitor the patient's condition throughout all stages of treatment.

Despite all the advantages of using calprotectin in diagnostics, it is important to remember that it is only one tool. The diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases should be comprehensive and based on clinical symptoms, examinations and other laboratory tests. Only with this data can doctors make an accurate diagnosis and develop an individual treatment plan for each patient.