Calprotectin

The determination of calprotectin levels in stool is a non-invasive technique that can provide essential diagnostic information on inflammatory conditions of the bowel/gut. It is used to differentiate irritable bowel syndrome from acute and chronic inflammations of the bowel (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) as its levels are increased in chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (CIBD). Moreover, for tumors of the gut associated with any kind of information a similar rise in the levels is observed. However, levels of calprotectin do not increase with benign conditions such as intestinal polyps or benign tumors or simply an irritable bowel.

Additionally, the levels of calprotectin can also be used to monitor and evaluate the treatment response. With successful interventions for CIBDs, a drop in the levels is observed. However, if the levels increase again this indicates a relapse. Calprotectin estimation correlates with findings on histological and endoscopic investigations. Since it spares the patients the burden of an invasive procedure and biopsies, calprotectin-based diagnostics become the mainstay for CIBDs.