Fecal Calprotectin to Detect Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Rheumatology
• Gastroenterology
• Clinical Diagnostics

Background:

• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) can present with gastrointestinal symptoms that overlap with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
• Differentiating between JIA and IBD is crucial for appropriate treatment and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate fecal calprotectin (FC) as a noninvasive screening tool for identifying IBD in patients diagnosed with JIA.
• To assess the diagnostic utility of FC levels in a pediatric population with JIA.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 113 patients with JIA was enrolled in the study.
• Fecal calprotectin (FC) levels were measured, with < 100 g/kg considered normal.
• Patients with two consecutive FC levels ≥ 100 g/kg were referred for endoscopic evaluation.

Main Results:

• Elevated FC levels were detected in 7 out of 113 JIA patients (6.2%).
• All 7 patients with elevated FC were subsequently diagnosed with IBD.
• In 3 of these 7 patients, high FC levels were the sole indicator of IBD.

Conclusions:

• Fecal calprotectin (FC) serves as a valuable, cost-effective, and noninvasive screening biomarker for detecting underlying IBD in patients with JIA.
• FC testing can aid in the early identification of IBD, facilitating timely intervention in this pediatric cohort.