title: The semi-quantitative calprotectin rapid test--is it useful in inflammatory bowel disease?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficiency of the dosage of the semi-quantitative calprotectin rapid test in evaluating the activity of inflammatory bowel diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prospective study included 87 patients with BII (50 with ulcerative colitis, 37 with Crohn disease) hospitalized between January 2011 - May 2012. The diagnosis was confirmed by colonoscopy and histological examination. Fecal calprotectin was measured by means of a semi-quantitative rapid test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 50 patients with UC and 37 with BC. 96% of the UC patients were evaluated during the active disease. 21 of them had a severe episode of active disease, 16 had a moderate one, while 10 had a mild activity episode. The correlation between the calprotectin values and lesions localization was analyzed, without finding any statistical differences. The data have shown a very strong correlation between the severity of the active disease, assessed through the UCDAI (Mayo) score, and the calprotectin value. Patients with CD manifested a linear correlation between the severity of the active disease and the calprotectin value.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The rapid test for assessing calprotectin could be a useful non-invasive marker in appreciating the severity of clinical and biological disease activity.
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Pharmacy Grigore T. Popa-Iaşi School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Mihaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dranga
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dumitrescu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Badea
authors.forename: Andreea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blaj
authors.forename: Cătălina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mihai
authors.forename: Cristina Cijevschi
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Prelipcean
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity / Q000379:methods; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000175:diagnosis; D003113:Colonoscopy; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000175:diagnosis; D018450:Disease Progression; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex