Calprotectin in feces - what is it? This is a protein that is released from white blood cells (macrophages and neutrophils) upon activation or death. It serves as a specific marker of inflammatory processes 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 white blood cells (neutrophils) or already dead. In fact, it is a neutrophilic 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 diseases, the number of leukocytes in it increases. White blood cells, namely neutrophils, are fighting the infection, as a result of which they die. When they die, a protein is released - calprotectin, and this leads to its increased concentration in fecal matter.
Quantifying calprotectin in feces is a simple and non-invasive method for diagnosing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This diagnosis allows the attending physician to differentiate IBD from irritable bowel syndrome, for which the inflammatory process of the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is not characteristic.
When is it appointed?
This study is prescribed if the patient has the following complaints:
- Irregular stool with an admixture of mucus.
- Fluid stool .
- Pain in the abdomen and at the same time an increase in body temperature.
- Increased sweating.
- Abrupt loss of body weight.
- General weakness and fatigue with little physical exertion.
- In violation of intestinal motility.
- With nausea and vomiting.
- With constipation.
- In cases where the patient has pathologies of the perinatal area, such as abscesses or fistulas.
- In children with developmental delay.
Calprotectin in feces: normal
The values of this indicator in feces are normally from 0 to 10 mg / ml. If the feces calprotectin level 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 problems with the intestines and loose stools, this may mean that he has irritable bowel syndrome. Additional studies may be required to clarify the diagnosis.
What does an increase in calprotectin mean?
If calprotectin in 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. The presence of rotavirus, adenovirus or norovirus infection can give a similar reaction. In addition, calprotectin in feces may be elevated during 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 diverticulums or cystic fibrosis (a hereditary disease associated with damage to the endocrine glands of external secretion).
In what cases is the study conducted?
Consider when a study is appointed to identify calprotectin in feces. What is it, we have already found out.
A similar study is prescribed to patients:
- As a preventive examination during professional examinations.
- For any suspected IBD.
- With gastrointestinal bleeding.
- When the patient complains of abdominal pain and the corresponding clinical picture.
- For differential diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome.
What to do?
If it turned out that calprotectin in feces is elevated, the causes of this reaction should be determined by the doctor. In any case, self-medication is not worth it, because this can be a serious enough disease. In order for the doctor to be able to accurately diagnose, sometimes additional studies may be required:
- Coprogram.
- Gregersen reaction, or analysis of feces for occult blood. Such an analysis requires special training. For three days, the patient should not eat meat and fish dishes, as well as products containing iron (liver, eggs, blackcurrant, chocolate).
- C-reactive protein is a highly sensitive method that will quantify the result.
- Rheumatoid factor.
- CEA (cancer embryonic antigen).
- ANA (antibodies to nuclear antigens).
- Complete blood count with a 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 feces is elevated. Treatment will depend on the cause that caused this inflammation.
If the cause is an infectious disease, for example, salmonella, then treatment will be needed that can destroy the pathogen (salmonella). You will also need to take sorbents, for example, Liferan, White Coal, Enterodez, Smectu, etc. In addition, drugs for restoring the water-salt balance are needed: Oralit, Regidron, etc. With mild in the form of salmonellosis, antibiotics are most often not prescribed, because this pathogen is immune to them.
With the viral nature of the disease (adenovirus or rotavirus, etc.), antiviral drugs will be needed. It can be Arbidol, Gordoks, Virazol, etc. Immunostimulating and immunomodulating drugs Cycloferon, Anaferon, Interferon are used.
Often, antibiotic therapy is prescribed to treat intestinal infections. For example, “Phthalazole” is prescribed, and for children, the safest antibacterial drug with a wide spectrum of action of “Cefix” is used.
Enzymatic preparations Enzistal and Festal give a good effect.
But only a doctor should prescribe treatment, depending on the individual characteristics of the patient and his condition.