title: Fecal calprotectin and lactoferrin as noninvasive markers of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether fecal calprotectin (FC) and fecal lactoferrin (FL) can be used as noninvasive markers in children and young people (4-17 years) with active inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Stool samples were collected from 3 groups of children: those with active IBD, control individuals with other gastrointestinal (GI) diseases (GI control) and control individuals with no GI disease (non-GI control). The number of patients for the FC assay was as follows: IBD = 26, GI control = 30, non-GI control = 25. The number of patients for the FL assay was as follows: IBD = 24, GI control = 26, non-GI = 24. FC and FL were measured by use of enzyme-linked immunoassays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median concentrations of FC and FL in isolation, and their interaction, were significantly higher in the IBD group than in the GI and non-GI control groups (P < 0.001). Although the area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity for FC, FL, and FC x FL interaction were significantly better than chance, FL consistently had the lowest area under the curve, and FC x FL consistently had the highest area under the curve.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FC and FL are both significantly elevated in children with IBD, and the interaction of these 2 biomarkers may produce a better initial diagnostic test compared with their use in isolation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK. arpijois@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Manohara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Joishy
authors.forename: Ieuan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: Mansoor
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wassel
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sayers
authors.forename: Huw
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jenkins
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000032:analysis*; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex / Q000032:analysis*; D016015:Logistic Models; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex; D007781:Lactoferrin