Calprotectin is a stronger predictive marker of relapse in ulcerative colitis than in Crohn's disease

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Clinical Biomarkers
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Background:

• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) clinical courses involve relapses and remissions.
• Faecal calprotectin is a non-invasive marker for intestinal inflammation.
• Predictive value of faecal calprotectin for IBD relapse requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the predictive value of faecal calprotectin for clinical relapse in ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD).
• To compare the predictive efficacy of faecal calprotectin between UC and CD.

Main Methods:

• Seventy-nine patients with quiescent IBD (38 CD, 41 UC) were followed for 12 months.
• Clinical evaluations and blood tests were performed regularly.
• Faecal calprotectin concentration was measured using enzyme-linked immunoassay from stool samples.

Main Results:

• Faecal calprotectin levels did not significantly differ between relapsing and non-relapsing CD patients (p=0.395).
• Faecal calprotectin levels were significantly higher in relapsing UC patients compared to non-relapsing patients (p<0.0001).
• Faecal calprotectin >150 µg/g increased relapse risk 2-fold in CD and 14-fold in UC.

Conclusions:

• Faecal calprotectin is a strong predictor of clinical relapse in ulcerative colitis.
• Faecal calprotectin is a less potent predictor of relapse in Crohn's disease.
• Faecal calprotectin is a promising non-invasive tool for monitoring IBD and optimizing therapy.