Analysis index

Cherry-sized stool sample or a minimum of 1 ml liquid stools

Inconspicuous: < 50 mg/kg

The value is physiologically increased in babies and small children:
up to 6 weeks: < 900 mg/kg
up to 3 months: <600 mg/kg
up to 1 year: <300 mg/kg
up to 2 years: <200 mg/kg
from 6 years: <50 mg/kg

Patients with active, inflammatory bowel diseases: 200 mg/kg – 20.000 mg/kg

Suspicion of inflammatory intestinal diseases

Differential diagnosis of functional bowel problems, progress checks of Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis.

Calprotectin is stored in the neutrophilic granulocytes. In chemotactic stimulus, i.e. as part of an inflammatory intestinal disease, the granulocytes empty the calprotectin into the bowel lumen. Clinical relevance of calprotectin determination lies especially in the differential diagnosis of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases and irritable bowel syndrome. The amount of calprotectin reflects the activity of chronic inflammatory bowel disease and is therefore especially useful for monitoring patients with such conditions (ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s).

Calprotectin concentration is also increased in case of: Bowel infections (DD exclusion of infectious cause); illnesses with enhanced proliferation (i.e. adenomas, neoplasia); mucoviscidosis.