title: Prophylactic aspirin therapy does not increase faecal calprotectin concentrations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) can induce enteropathy. Aspirin ingestion is associated with a lower small-intestinal inflammation than other NSAID. Faecal calprotectin concentrations have recently been proposed as a simple non-invasive test to identify NSAID enteropathy. The aim of our pilot study was to evaluate calprotectin concentrations in patients on treatment with low-dose aspirin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two patients on prophylactic treatment with aspirin were recruited. Twenty-five healthy volunteers were enrolled as a control group. Faecal calprotectin concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Statistical analysis was performed by t-test for unpaired data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean faecal calprotectin concentration in patients (57.95+/-44.28 microg/g) did not show significant differences compared with controls (45.76+/-26.45 microg/g; P=0.251).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that low-dose aspirin does not induce an increase in faecal calprotectin increase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Catholic University, Rome, Italy. mmontalto@rm.unicatt.it
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montalto
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Curigliano
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.forename: Mariaelena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lombardi
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Covino
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cammarota
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dalvai
authors.forename: Ferruccio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: D'Onofrio
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gasbarrini
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gasbarrini
mesh_terms: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004751:Enteritis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D015415:Biomarkers; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex; D001241:Aspirin