Calprotectin in stool - what is it? The reasons for the increase

Calprotectin in stool - what is it? It is a protein that is released from leukocytes (macrophages and neutrophils) upon their activation or death. It serves as a specific marker of inflammatory processes occurring in the intestine. The quantitative index of this study is directly proportional to the number of leukocytes in the intestine.

Calprotectin in stool - what is it?

This substance is able to be released only from activated leukocytes (neutrophils) or already dead. In fact, it is a neutrophilic protein or protein associated with calcium. Calprotectin in feces - what is it, and under what circumstances does it appear in the intestine?

In inflammatory bowel diseases, the number of leukocytes in it increases. Leukocytes, namely neutrophils, are fighting infection, resulting in death. When they die, the release of the protein - calprotektin, and this leads to its increased concentration in the fecal masses.

Determination of the quantitative content of calprotectin in feces is an uncomplicated and non-invasive method for diagnosing inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Such a diagnosis allows the treating physician to differentiate the IBD from irritable bowel syndrome, for which the inflammatory process of the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract) mucosa is not characteristic.

When appointed?

This study is assigned if the patient has the following complaints:

• Irregular stool with an admixture of mucus.
• A liquid stool with an admixture of blood.
• Pain in the abdomen and at the same time increase in body temperature.
• Increased sweating.
• Sharp loss of body weight.
• General weakness and rapid fatigue with little physical exertion.
• When there is a violation of intestinal motility.
• With nausea and vomiting.
• With constipation.
• In cases of presence in the patient of pathologies of the perinatal area, such as abscesses or fistulas.
• At children at a delay of development.

Calprotectin in feces: norm

Values of this parameter in feces normally range from 0 to 10 mg / ml. If in the feces the level of calprotectin is within these limits, this means that the patient does not have IBD. The mucous membrane of the intestine is not inflamed. And in case the patient continues to complain about bowel problems and loose stools, this can mean that he has irritable bowel syndrome. To clarify the diagnosis may require additional research.

What does increase in calprotectin level mean?

If calprotectin in feces is elevated, the causes can be associated not only with IBD, but also with viral or bacterial diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, for example, salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis. A similar reaction may be caused by the presence of rotavirus, adenovirus or norovirus infection. In addition, calprotectin in feces may be elevated by allergic reaction to cow milk or celiac disease (gluten intolerance contained in cereal cultures), and also in the presence of neoplasms, diverticulum of the intestine or mucoviscedosis (a hereditary disease associated with endocrine glands of external secretion).

In what cases is the research conducted?

Consider when a study is made, which allows us to identify calprotectin in the feces. What is it, we have already found out.

Such a study is assigned to patients:

1. As a preventive examination in case of medical examinations.
2. With any suspicion of IBD.
3. With gastrointestinal bleeding.
4. When the patient complains of pain in the abdomen and the corresponding clinical picture.
5. For differential diagnosis in irritable bowel syndrome.

What to do?

If it turned out that calprotectin in feces is elevated, the doctor should determine the reasons for this reaction. In any case, self-medication is not worth it, because It can be quite a serious disease. In order for a doctor to accurately diagnose, additional studies may sometimes be required:

• Coprogram.
• Gergersen's reaction, or fecal occult blood analysis . Such an analysis requires special training. Within three days the patient should not eat meat and fish dishes, as well as foods containing iron (liver, eggs, black currant, chocolate).
• C-reactive protein is a highly sensitive method that will allow quantifying the result.
• Rheumatoid factor.
• REA (cancer embryonic antigen).
• ANA (antibodies to nuclear antigens).
• A general blood test with a mandatory count of the leukocyte formula.

Treatment

So, the doctor made an accurate diagnosis, in which there are signs of inflammation of the intestinal mucosa, and thus calprotectin in feces increased. Treatment will depend on the cause that caused this inflammation.

If the blame for everything is an infectious disease, for example, salmonellosis, then a treatment is needed that can destroy the causative agent of infection (salmonella). It will also be necessary to take sorbents, for example, "Liferan", "White coal", "Enterodez", "Smektu", etc. In addition, drugs are needed to restore the water-salt balance: "Oralit", "Regidron", etc. In light The form of salmonellosis most often antibiotics are not prescribed, because This agent is immune to them.

In the viral nature of the disease (adenovirus or rotavirus, etc.), antiviral drugs will be needed. It can be "Arbidol", "Gordoks", "Virazol", etc. Apply immunostimulating and immunomodulating drugs "Cycloferon", "Anaferon", "Interferon".

Often, antibiotic therapy is prescribed to treat intestinal infections. For example, prescribe "Ftalazol", and for children use the safest antibacterial drug with a wide spectrum of action "Cefix."

A good effect is given by enzymatic preparations "Enzistal", "Festal".

But the appointment of treatment should only the doctor, depending on the individual characteristics of the patient and his condition.