title: Fecal calprotectin level in healthy children aged less than 4 years in South Korea.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fecal calprotectin (FC) is non-invasive inflammatory marker indicating various bowel diseases. However, the median-specific cut-off values and the standard deviations (SD) of the FC levels in each age group <4 years were not elucidated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Healthy volunteers were enrolled from four kindergartens. A questionnaire was used to confirm that the children met the inclusion criteria, and several demographics and history of bowel symptoms were collected. The FC level was measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 234 healthy children aged between 6 months and 4 years were recruited. The median FC concentration of all participants was 245 μg/g (range 12-1033 μg/g, mean 68.5 μg/g, SD 123.12 μg/g). The children were divided into six age groups. The upper limit of 95% CI of median FC values was 135 μg/g in 7-12 months group, 65 μg/g in 13-18 months group, 55 μg/g in 19-24 months group, 40 μg/g in 25-30 months group, 21 μg/g in 31-36 months group, and 12 μg/g in 37-48 months group. A negative correlation trend was found between the age and the FC concentration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study to present the FC median levels in the specific age groups <4 years in Korea. We found a FC level reduction with age, indicating a bowel maturation process and decreased intestinal permeability of the intestinal mucosa. In our study, FC levels reached the values of 50 μg/g around the age of 2 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Bundang CHA Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam, South Korea.
authors.forename: Joo Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Bundang CHA Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yoo Mi
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Bundang CHA Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam, South Korea.
authors.forename: You Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Bundang CHA Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam, South Korea.
authors.forename: Su Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Jeong
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex
keywords: South Korea; calprotectin; gut maturation; infant; reference values