title: Role of fecal calprotectin in the diagnosis and treatment of segmental colitis associated with diverticulosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Information about fecal calprotectin (FC) in segmental colitis associated with diverticulosis (SCAD) is lacking. We assessed FC in SCAD, comparing it healthy controls (HC), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diverticular disease (DD), ulcerative colitis (UC). Moreover, we compared FC levels in different degrees of SCAD and assessed FC SCAD before and after treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-seven consecutive patients with a new endoscopic diagnosis of SCAD, and 16 patients for each control group, underwent to FC assessment. FC was assessed by semi-quantitative method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FC was not increased in HC and in IBS patients, whilst it was increased in DD, SCAD, and UC. FC concentration was higher in SCAD and UC than in DD (SCAD vs. DD, P=0.05). No difference was found in FC concentration between SCAD and UC (P=0.213), as well as between different degree of SCAD (P= 0.178). After treatment, FC values decreased to normal values in all patients obtaining remission (P<0.0005). Three patients experienced still symptoms (one SCAD type B and two SCAD type D patients), and in all of them FC was still detectable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FC may be useful in differentiating SCAD from functional syndromes. Moreover, it may be useful in assessing response to therapy.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Service, Andria, Barletta-Andria-Trani, Italy. antotursi@tiscali.it
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tursi
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Elisei
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giorgetti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aiello
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brandimarte
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D003113:Colonoscopy; D015897:Comorbidity; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004239:Diverticulitis, Colonic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D043963:Diverticulosis, Colonic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D019804:Mesalamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D015415:Biomarkers; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex; D019804:Mesalamine