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Does faecal calprotectin differentiate between inflammatory bowel disease colitis and non-inflammatory bowel disease
Ahmed F Khalil1, Ekram M Helmy1, Mohamed N Massoud1
1Gastroenterology and Nutrition Division, Department of Pediatrics, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
Insights
Faecal calprotectin can help identify inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in children with chronic colitis. A level above 744 µg/g suggests IBD, aiding early diagnosis and referral for pediatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Clinical Diagnostics
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research
Background:
- Chronic colitis presents a significant global health challenge with diverse etiologies.
- A definitive diagnostic marker for distinguishing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) among colitis causes is needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate faecal calprotectin levels across various pediatric colitis types.
- To establish a cut-off value for differentiating IBD from non-IBD colitides in children.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 110 pediatric patients (2 months-18 years) with confirmed chronic colitis.
- Endoscopic and histopathological confirmation of colitis.
- Measurement of faecal calprotectin levels.
Main Results:
- Allergic colitis (50.9%) was most common, followed by IBD (38.1%).
- Faecal calprotectin >744 µg/g predicted IBD with 86.8% specificity and 66.7% sensitivity.
- Elevated faecal calprotectin correlated with C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate.
Conclusions:
- Faecal calprotectin is a valuable biomarker for predicting the etiology of pediatric chronic colitis.
- This marker can assist pediatricians in timely referral for suspected IBD cases.
Introduction:
Chronic colitis is a major problem worldwide with high morbidity. Causes of chronic colitis are heterogeneous. A cut-off level of faecal calprotectin to predict inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as a cause of chronic colitis is lacking.
Aim:
To study the level of faecal calprotectin in different causes of colitis and to measure the cut-off level to differentiate between IBD and non-IBD colitides.
Material And Methods:
This prospective study was conducted from June 2018 to May 2019. The study included all patients aged 2 months up to 18 years who were confirmed to have chronic colitis endoscopically and histopathologically attending the Gastroenterology Clinic at Alexandria University Children's Hospital. Faecal calprotectin level was measured.
Results:
We included 110 patients. Allergic colitis was the commonest cause followed by IBD followed by infectious colitis (50.9%, 38.1% and 6.3% respectively). Faecal calprotectin above 744 µg/g could predict IBD as a cause of chronic colitis with 86.8% specificity and 66.7% sensitivity. Significant elevation of faecal calprotectin was detected in IBD patients. Faecal calprotectin was significantly correlated with C-reactive protein level and erythrocyte sedimentation rate.
Conclusions:
Faecal calprotectin could predict the cause of colitis and could aid the paediatrician for early referral of patients with chronic colitis.
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