title: Semiquantitative fecal calprotectin test in postinfectious and non-postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome: cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The presence of a certain degree of inflammation in the gut wall is now accepted in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Fecal calprotectin is considered to be a reliable test for detecting intestinal inflammation. Our aim was to assess the presence of inflammation in postinfectious IBS (PI-IBS), compared with non-postinfectious IBS (NPI-IBS). A secondary objective was to determine the usefulness of a rapid fecal calprotectin test in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study. Patients with IBS and IBD at a single tertiary gastroenterology center were prospectively included in this study.
  
  
  METHODS
  116 patients with Rome III IBS score (76 females; 48 ± 12 years) were investigated; 24 patients (15 females) had PI-IBS. Intestinal inflammation was assessed using the semiquantitative fecal calprotectin test. The results were expressed as T1, T2 or T3 according to the severity of inflammation (< 15 μg/g; 15-60 μg/g; > 60 μg/g). Using the same test, we evaluated 20 patients with IBD (12 males; 47 ± 13 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the patients with IBS had a T2 or T3 positive test. Among PI-IBS patients, 33% had a T1 positive test. Among NPI-IBS patients, 9.8% had a T1 positive test, which was significantly different to PI-IBS. The calprotectin test was positive in all IBD patients: 80% with T3, 10% with T2 and 10% with T1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using a semiquantitative test for fecal calprotectin, positive tests were more frequent in PI-IBS patients than in NPI-IBS patients.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Liliana-Elisabeta
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: David
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Teodora
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Surdea-Blaga
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Dan-Lucian
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Dumitrascu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex / Q000032:analysis* / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex