Relationship between fecal lactoferrin and inflammatory bowel disease

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Clinical Chemistry
• Biomarker Discovery

Background:

• Fecal lactoferrin, a glycoprotein reflecting neutrophil activity, is a potential indicator of intestinal inflammation.
• Accurate assessment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) activity is crucial for effective patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the correlation between fecal lactoferrin levels and intestinal inflammation.
• To assess the utility of fecal lactoferrin in quantifying the activity of IBD, including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD).

Main Methods:

• Quantitative analysis of fecal lactoferrin using IBD-SCAN in 177 stool samples from patients with IBD, infectious bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and healthy controls.
• IBD activity was assessed using a modified Harvey-Bradshaw Active Index.

Main Results:

• Fecal lactoferrin levels were significantly elevated in active IBD (UC and CD) compared to inactive IBD, IBS, and infectious bowel disease.
• Sensitivity and specificity for detecting UC were 92% and 88%, respectively; for CD, they were 92% and 80%, respectively.
• Distinct fecal lactoferrin levels were observed across different conditions: healthy (3.15±1.60 µg/g), IBS (2.54±1.49 µg/g), infectious bowel disease (83.3±29.9 µg/g), inactive UC (96.58±82.46 µg/g), inactive CD (133.52±88.89 µg/g), active UC (1126.29±431.21 µg/g), and active CD (1035.25±456.59 µg/g).

Conclusions:

• Fecal lactoferrin serves as a sensitive and specific biomarker for assessing IBD activity.
• This quantitative method effectively distinguishes between inflammatory and non-inflammatory bowel conditions.
• Elevated fecal lactoferrin levels can aid in ruling out IBS in clinical settings.