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Published on: April 26, 2019
Rapid fecal calprotectin (FC) analysis: point of care testing for diagnosing early necrotizing enterocolitis
Alona Bin-Nun1, Christina Booms2, Naama Sabag3
1Department of Neonatology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
Objective:
The aim of this study is to compare fecal calprotectin (FC) levels as measured by a rapid FC assay with those measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) from concurrent stool samples. We also attempted to demonstrate a correlation between elevated rapid assay FC levels and the presence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and to define a cutoff FC value which could serve as a basis for diagnosing NEC in the future.
Study Design:
Stool samples were collected for FC analysis at 1 and 3 weeks postnatally and whenever there was clinical suspicion of NEC.
Results:
Rapid assay FC levels were elevated with NEC (3,000 µg/g stool [2075,7875] vs. without (195 µg/g stool [110,440] p < 0.001); and were well correlated with ELISA FC levels (r(2) = 0.89).
Conclusion:
We present the first data showing that rapid assay FC levels are potentially useful in the bedside diagnosis of NEC.
