title: Fecal calprotectin is a predictive marker of relapse in Crohn's disease involving the colon: a prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Fecal calprotectin seems to have a diagnostic precision in predicting relapse in quiescent ulcerative colitis patients. However, the data remain controversial in Crohn's disease. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the role of fecal calprotectin as a predictive marker for 1-year follow-up in patients with asymptomatic Crohn's disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-three Crohn's disease patients in clinical remission were consecutively included providing at the beginning of the study a single stool sample as well as a blood sample and regularly followed-up for 12 months. Fecal calprotectin level was measured using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunoassay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 53 patients, 10 (18.9%) developed clinical relapse during the 12-month follow-up period. Median fecal calprotectin level was significantly higher in relapse group patients compared with that in nonrelapse group (380.5 vs. 155 microg/g, P<0.001). With a cutoff value of 340 microg/g fecal calprotectin gave sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 90.7% in predicting clinical relapse. Fecal calprotectin level greater that 340 microg/g gave an 18-fold higher risk to develop relapse (log rank P<0.001) and was found to be an independent predictive factor of relapse (P=0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fecal calprotectin seems to be a reliable marker of relapse in quiescent Crohn's disease patients.
authors: Department of Gastroenterology, Rabta Hospital, Jabbari 1007, Tunis, Tunisia. Lamia_kallel@yahoo.fr
authors: Lamia
authors: L
authors: Kallel
authors: Imen
authors: I
authors: Ayadi
authors: Samira
authors: S
authors: Matri
authors: Monia
authors: M
authors: Fekih
authors: Nadia Ben
authors: NB
authors: Mahmoud
authors: Moncef
authors: M
authors: Feki
authors: Sami
authors: S
authors: Karoui
authors: Bechir
authors: B
authors: Zouari
authors: Jalel
authors: J
authors: Boubaker
authors: Naziha
authors: N
authors: Kaabachi
authors: Azza
authors: A
authors: Filali
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015854:Up-Regulation; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex