Prophylactic aspirin therapy does not increase faecal calprotectin concentrations.
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.
Montalto
Massimo
M
Department of Internal Medicine, Catholic University, Rome, Italy. mmontalto@rm.unicatt.it
Curigliano
Valentina
V
Santoro
Luca
L
Lombardi
Mariaelena
M
Covino
Marcello
M
Cammarota
Giovanni
G
Dalvai
Sara
S
D'Onofrio
Ferruccio
F
Gasbarrini
Antonio
A
Gasbarrini
Giovanni
G
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
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D015415:Biomarkers; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex; D001241:Aspirin