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"Fecal calprotectin: a bright future for assessing disease activity in Crohn's disease." Gaya DR et al., Q J Med 2002; 95: 557 (headline in editorial).

PMID#: 12205332

Fecal calprotectin levels reflect the disease activity in IBD. Fagerhol MK, Lancet 2000; 356: 1783. Bjarnason I et al., J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2001; 33:11. Aadland E et al., Europ J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2002; 14: 1. Hanai H et al., Nippon Shokakibyo Gakkai Zasshi 2003; 100:21.

The PhiCal Test can be used to monitor the response to treatment and detect relapses in IBD. Fagerhol MK, Lancet 2000; 356: 1783. Bjarnason I et al., J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2001; 33:11. Aadland E et al., Europ J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2002; 14: 1. Tibble JA et al., Medscape Gastroenterol 2001; 3: 7353.

The test is a new diagnostic tool in patients with diarrhea or abdominal discomfort: In discriminating between Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome the sensitivity and specificity is 100 and 97%, respectively. Bjarnason I et al., J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2001; 33: 11.

The sensitivity in gastric and colorectal cancer is 100 (unpublished) and 90%, respectively, i.e. much higher than that of occult blood in feces. Aadland E et al., Europ J Gstroenterol Hepatol 2002; 14: 1. Bunn SK et al., J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2001; 33:14.

The test can be used as a screening test - an "ESR of the gut" - to select patients for further examination; expensive procedures like endoscopy can often be avoided. Fagerhol MK, Lancet 2000; 356: 1783. Bjarnason I et al., J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2001; 33: 11. Aadland E et al., Europ J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2002; 14: 1.