The concentration of calprotectin in the stools of children with diagnosed cystic fibrosis.
BACKGROUND
Calprotectin is a protein that plays a regulatory role in inflammatory reactions as an antibacterial and antiproliferative factor.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the concentration of calprotectin in the stools of patients with diagnosed cystic fibrosis.


METHODS
Forty-one patients were included in the study, 24 boys and 17 girls, aged from 7 weeks to 18 years. The concentration of calprotectin in stools was assessed with the ELISA method. The analysis included clinical symptoms and the results of laboratory tests and the type of mutation.


RESULTS
An elevated level of calprotectin in the stool was observed in 4/41 (9.7%) patients, mainly in older children, and mainly delta F508/deltaF508 mutation. The correlation between the concentration of calprotectin and clinical symptoms, age, increased indicators of an inflammatory process, levels of protein and aminotransferases in blood serum and the values of acid steatocrit of the stool was not proven.


CONCLUSIONS
High concentrations of calprotectin in the stools of children with diagnosed cystic fibrosis do not correlate with the level of advancement of lesions within the gastrointestinal tract. Elevated concentrations of calprotectin in the stools of patients with cystic fibrosis may indicate inflammation of intestine and should be further scrutinised.
Department of Paediatrics, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
Sabina
S
Więcek
Department of Paediatrics, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
Halina
H
Woś
Department of Paediatrics, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
Bożena
B
Kordys-Darmolińska
Department of Paediatrics, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
Magda
M
Sankiewicz-Szkółka
Department of Paediatrics, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
Urszula
U
Grzybowska-Chlebowczyk
calprotectin; children; cystic fibrosis; inflammation of the intestines