Calprotectin in feces - what is it? This is a protein that is released from leukocytes (macrophages and neutrophils) when they are activated or killed. It serves as a specific marker of inflammatory processes occurring in the intestine. The quantitative indicator of this study is directly proportional to the number of leukocytes in the intestine.
Calprotectin in feces - what is it?
This substance can only be released from activated leukocytes (neutrophils) or already dead ones. In fact, it is a neutrophil protein or a protein associated with calcium. Calprotectin in feces - what is it and under what circumstances does it appear in the intestines?
In inflammatory bowel disease, the number of leukocytes in it increases. Leukocytes, namely neutrophils, fight infection, as a result of which they die. When they die, a protein is released - calprotectin, and this leads to its increased concentration in the fecal masses.
DefinitionThe quantitative content of calprotectin in feces is a simple and non-invasive method for diagnosing inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). This diagnosis allows the attending physician to differentiate IBD from irritable bowel syndrome, which is not characterized by inflammation of the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT).
When appointed?
This study is ordered if the patient has the following complaints:
- Irregular stools with mucus in them.
- Loose stools with blood in them.
- Pain in the abdomen and fever.
- Excessive sweating.
- Sudden weight loss.
- General weakness and fatigue with little physical activity.
- In violation of intestinal motility.
- For nausea and vomiting.
- For constipation.
- In cases where the patient has pathologies in the perinatal area, such as abscesses or fistulas.
- In children with developmental delay.
Calprotectin in feces: normal
The values of this indicator in the stool normally range from 0 to 10 mg/ml. If the calprotectin level in the feces is within these limits, this means that the patient does not have IBD. The intestinal mucosa is not inflamed. And if the patient continues to complain of bowel problems and loose stools, this may mean that he has irritable bowel syndrome. Additional tests may be required to clarify the diagnosis.
What does an increase in calprotectin mean
If calprotectin in the feces is elevated, the causes may be associated not only with IBD, but also with viral or bacterial diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, for example, salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis. A similar reaction can be given by the presence of a rotavirus, adenovirus or norovirus infection. In addition, calprotectin in the feces may be elevated with an allergic reaction to cow's milk or celiac disease (intolerance to gluten contained in cereals), as well as in the presence of neoplasms, intestinal diverticula or cystic fibrosis (a hereditary disease associated with damage to the endocrine glands of external secretion).
In what cases is the study carried out?
Consider when a study is ordered to detect calprotectin in feces. What is it, we have already found out.
Such a study is prescribed for patients:
- As a preventive examination during medical examinations.
- For any suspicion of IBD.
- For gastrointestinal bleeding.
- When the patient complains of abdominal pain and the corresponding clinical picture.
- For the differential diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome.
What to do?
If it turned out that calprotectin in the feces is elevated, the doctor should determine the reasons for such a reaction. In any case, you should not engage in self-medication, because. it can be quite a serious disease. To the doctorwas able to accurately diagnose, sometimes additional studies may be required:
- Coprogram.
- Gregersen reaction, or fecal occult blood test. Such an analysis requires special preparation. For three days, the patient should not eat meat and fish dishes, as well as foods containing iron (liver, eggs, black currants, chocolate).
- C-reactive protein with a highly sensitive method that will allow you to quantify the result.
- Rheumatoid factor.
- CEA (cancer embryonic antigen).
- ANA (antibodies to nuclear antigens).
- Complete blood count with mandatory leukocyte count.
Treatment
So, the doctor made an accurate diagnosis, in which there are signs of inflammation of the intestinal mucosa, and at the same time, calprotectin in the feces is elevated. Treatment will depend on the cause of the inflammation.
If an infectious disease, such as salmonellosis, is to blame, then treatment will be needed that can destroy the causative agent of the infection (salmonella). You will also need to take sorbents, for example, Liferan, White Coal, Enterodez, Smekta, etc. In addition, drugs are needed to restore the water-s alt balance: Oralit, Regidron, etc. With mild form of salmonellosis, most often antibiotics are not prescribed, tk. this pathogen is immune to them.
When the nature of the disease is viral (adenovirus or rotavirus, etc.), you will needantiviral drugs. It can be "Arbidol", "Gordoks", "Virazole", etc. Immunostimulating and immunomodulating drugs "Cycloferon", "Anaferon", "Interferon" are used.
Antibacterial therapy is often prescribed to treat intestinal infections. For example, they prescribe "Ftalazol", and for children they use the safest antibacterial drug with a wide spectrum of action "Cefix".
Enzistal and Festal enzymatic preparations give a good effect.
But only a doctor should prescribe treatment, depending on the individual characteristics of the patient and his condition.
