Calprotectin

A calprotectin stool test measures a protein called calprotectin in a sample of your stool .The test is also called a fecal calprotectin test. It's used to check for inflammation (swelling and irritation) in your intestines.

It's normal to have a small amount of calprotectin in your stool. But high levels are a sign that your intestines are inflamed. When you have inflammation in your intestines, your immune system sends certain types of white blood cells (neutrophils) to the inflamed area. These white blood cells release calprotectin into your intestines where it mixes with your stool.

Inflammation in your intestines can cause severe watery or bloody diarrhea with abdominal pain and/or cramping that last for more than a few days. Other types of digestive conditions can also cause these symptoms. If these symptoms last a long time or come and go, it's important to know if your intestines are inflamed. That's because inflammation can damage the lining of your intestines and lead to other serious health conditions over time.

A calprotectin test can find out whether your intestinal condition involves inflammation. But it can't diagnose the specific cause. Knowing whether your intestines are inflamed helps your health care provider decide what other tests you may need and what treatments are best for you.

fecal Calprotectin concentrations are significantly elevated in patients with IBD, patients suffering from IBS do not have increased Calprotectin levels. Such increased levels are shown to correlate well with both endoscopic and histological assessment of disease activity. Fecal Calprotectin is used to help differentiate between IBS and IBD. It is also used to assess the efficacy of treatment and predict the risk of flare-ups in IBD patients.

Precautions

.Stop NSAID at least 4 weeks befor the test.

.Don’t collect during menstruation.

.Empty the bladder first to avoid contamination.

.Avoid contamination with toilet water containing disinfectant.

Instructions

Stool sample in clean container.

Notes

Shipment to lab within 24 hours of collection