Value of fecal calprotectin in the diagnosis of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases in children

• Main Authors: T.V. Yaroshevska, K.V. Skriabina, N.B. Sapa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Publishing House Zaslavsky 2018-03-01
• Series: Zdorovʹe Rebenka
• Subjects: calprotectin; ulcerative colitis; chronic non-specific non-ulcerative colitis; irritable bowel syndrome; children
• Online Access: http://childshealth.zaslavsky.com.ua/article/view/129550
• ISSN: 2224-0551; 2307-1168

Background. Inflammatory bowel diseases are considered to be one of the most difficult problems of children gastroenterology, which have not only medical but also social significance. Recently, a lot of attention has been paid to non-invasive diagnostic methods such as fecal markers of inflammation in chronic inflammatory bowel diseases. The aim of the research was to study the diagnostic value of fecal calprotectin in chronic bowel diseases in children. Materials and methods. We have examined 19 patients aged 3 to 17 years in the active phase of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (ulcerative colitis and non-specific non-ulcerative colitis). The comparison group included 12 children with irritable bowel syndrome. In addition to standard examination methods, we have studied the level of calprotectin in fecal samples using monoclonal antibodies. Results. According to the data of our research, in patients with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, the average level of calprotectin in feces 3 times exceeded the normal values, and since patients were examined in the active phase of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, the fecal calprotectin level was increased in all of them. The level of fecal calprotectin was significantly higher in patients with ulcerative colitis in comparison with those with non-specific non-ulcerative colitis. In functional disease — irritable bowel syndrome, the level of fecal calprotectin did not exceed the normal values in any of the patients. Conclusions. The study of fecal calprotectin level in chronic inflammatory bowel diseases in children has high diagnostic value as a screening for the exclusion of the organic nature of bowel disease and determination of indications for using instrumental diagnostic methods. The implementation of non-invasive technique to evaluate calprotectin in fecal samples in children with intestinal pathology will allow monitoring the dynamic course of the chronic inflammatory bowel diseases in children, assessing the results of the therapy, and reducing the number of invasive methods of examination.