Examinations
Examinations
Calprotectin and lactoferrin are biomarkers found in stool, used to detect intestinal inflammation. These markers help distinguish between inflammatory and non-inflammatory bowel diseases.
Calprotectin
- Calprotectin is a protein produced by white blood cells (leukocytes).
- Its levels in stool directly correlate with the number of leukocytes entering the intestine.
- Used for diagnosing inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
Lactoferrin
- Lactoferrin is an iron-binding protein with antibacterial properties.
- It is found in various body fluids (tears, saliva, breast milk) and in stool.
- Leukocytes secrete lactoferrin during an immune response, increasing its concentration in stool during intestinal inflammation.
Clinical Significance
- Elevated stool calprotectin and lactoferrin levels indicate active inflammation in the intestine.
- Lactoferrin is a nonspecific marker that rises in both active infections and chronic inflammatory conditions.
- These tests help differentiate inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which has similar symptoms (abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea) but does not cause significant inflammation.
- Collect stool sample and deliver it to the lab within 2 hours.
- Take the test at least 2 hours after the last meal.
- Avoid smoking for 1 hour before the test.
- Avoid physical and emotional stress for 1 hour before the test.
- Suspected ongoing intestinal inflammation
- Excluding an inflammatory process
- Diagnosis and monitoring of:
- Ulcerative colitis (UC)
- Crohn’s disease (CD)
- Differentiating IBD from IBS
Elevated Calprotectin and/or Lactoferrin Levels May Indicate:
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD):
- Crohn’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Intestinal infection (bacterial, viral, or parasitic)
- Gastrointestinal inflammation (non-specific colitis, diverticulitis)
- Post-infectious inflammation
- Colorectal cancer (in some cases)