BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The clinical course of inflammatory bowel disease is characterised by a succession of relapses and remissions. The aim of our study was to assess whether the predictive value of faecal calprotectin-a non-invasive marker of intestinal inflammation-for clinical relapse is different in ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). METHODS: Seventy nine consecutive patients with a diagnosis of clinically quiescent inflammatory bowel disease (38 CD and 41 UC) were followed for 12 months, undergoing regular clinical evaluations and blood tests. A single stool sample was collected at the beginning of the study from each patient and the calprotectin concentration was assessed by a commercially available enzyme linked immunoassay. RESULTS: In CD, median calprotectin values were 220.1 mug/g (95% confidence interval (CI) 21.7-418.5) in those patients who relapsed during follow up, and 220.5 mug/g (95% CI 53-388) in non-relapsing patients (p=0.395). In UC, median calprotectin values were 220.6 mug/g (95% CI 86-355.2) and 67 microg/g (95% CI 15-119) in relapsing and non-relapsing patients, respectively (p<0.0001). The multivariate Cox (proportional hazard) regression model, after adjustment for possible confounding variables, showed a twofold and 14-fold increase in the relapse risk, respectively, in those patients with CD and UC in clinical remission who had a faecal calprotectin concentration higher than 150 microg/g. CONCLUSIONS: Faecal calprotectin proved to be an even stronger predictor of clinical relapse in UC than in CD, which makes the test a promising non-invasive tool for monitoring and optimising therapy.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The clinical course of inflammatory bowel disease is characterised by a succession of relapses and remissions. The aim of our study was to assess whether the predictive value of faecal calprotectin-a non-invasive marker of intestinal inflammation-for clinical relapse is different in ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). METHODS: Seventy nine consecutive patients with a diagnosis of clinically quiescent inflammatory bowel disease (38 CD and 41 UC) were followed for 12 months, undergoing regular clinical evaluations and blood tests. A single stool sample was collected at the beginning of the study from each patient and the calprotectin concentration was assessed by a commercially available enzyme linked immunoassay. RESULTS: In CD, median calprotectin values were 220.1 mug/g (95% confidence interval (CI) 21.7-418.5) in those patients who relapsed during follow up, and 220.5 mug/g (95% CI 53-388) in non-relapsing patients (p=0.395). In UC, median calprotectin values were 220.6 mug/g (95% CI 86-355.2) and 67 microg/g (95% CI 15-119) in relapsing and non-relapsing patients, respectively (p<0.0001). The multivariate Cox (proportional hazard) regression model, after adjustment for possible confounding variables, showed a twofold and 14-fold increase in the relapse risk, respectively, in those patients with CD and UC in clinical remission who had a faecal calprotectin concentration higher than 150 microg/g. CONCLUSIONS: Faecal calprotectin proved to be an even stronger predictor of clinical relapse in UC than in CD, which makes the test a promising non-invasive tool for monitoring and optimising therapy.
Authors: P J Limburg; D A Ahlquist; W J Sandborn; D W Mahoney; M E Devens; J J Harrington; A R Zinsmeister Journal: Am J Gastroenterol Date: 2000-10 Impact factor: 10.864
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Authors: G Crama-Bohbouth; A S Pena; I Biemond; H W Verspaget; D Blok; J W Arndt; I T Weterman; E K Pauwels; C B Lamers Journal: Gut Date: 1989-09 Impact factor: 23.059
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Authors: Eduardo Garcia Vilela; Henrique Osvaldo da Gama Torres; Fabiana Paiva Martins; Maria de Lourdes de Abreu Ferrari; Marcella Menezes Andrade; Aloísio Sales da Cunha Journal: World J Gastroenterol Date: 2012-03-07 Impact factor: 5.742
Authors: Michael Wagner; Christer G B Peterson; Peter Ridefelt; Per Sangfelt; Marie Carlson Journal: World J Gastroenterol Date: 2008-09-28 Impact factor: 5.742