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Fecal Calprotectin Test

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 8/11/2015 3:58 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all!

Have any of you had this test done? I'm waiting on results currently.

How long did it take for your results to come back? Did it show inflammation for any of you who thought you were in remission at the time? I'm actually a little anxious to see what my results will be.
Posted 8/11/2015 4:11 PM (GMT 0)
I've had both results, normal and elevated. I have had it show normal when I was flaring once too, so in my opinion, it's not the most accurate. I wouldn't worry, symptoms are more important than test results IMO. Of course, you want to keep inflammation to a minimum so if the result is outside the normal range, you want to explore the cause or recheck even if you aren't having symptoms.

How are you feeling?

The results of Calprotectin seem to take a while. I think mine generally take 5 days or so.
Posted 8/11/2015 8:27 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks, notsosicklygirl. I wondered about the effectiveness of the test too so I'm glad to hear your opinion on that. I am feeling pretty good. I have just a tiny bit of urgency now and occasional very small amounts of blood/mucus. It seems that I am at the end of my small flare so maybe my doctor wants to confirm this via the calprotectin reading.
Posted 8/11/2015 10:02 PM (GMT 0)
in my case it has proved to be the least reliable test, i will never do it again
Posted 8/11/2015 10:12 PM (GMT 0)
It's been a very reliable test for me. Turnaround time seems to depend on the lab, I've had from a few up to 10 days. They do seem to forget to inform people in flare to not collect stool mixed with mucous, the mucous apparently messes up the reading. First morning stool is recommended.

Below comes from a test directory:

" It should be noted that calprotectin is not distributed homogenously and results can be variable by up to 20% on the same faecal sample.

Diverticulitis and infection (e.g. campylobacter) may cause elevated faecal calprotectin levels. NSAIDs may also cause elevation but not usually more than 200 ug/g. Results from mucus like and watery samples should be interpreted with caution as mucus strongly binds calprotectin and watery samples may not contain any actual stool"
Posted 8/11/2015 10:19 PM (GMT 0)
Calprotectin is useful for me because my ESR is normal even when I'm severely flared up, and my CRP barely rises.

London Lurker - that's interesting. I haven't been told this about not collecting stool mixed with mucus. This might account for some very high results of over 3000. I'll bear this in mind for next time.
Posted 8/12/2015 12:32 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the great info so far! I am really super interested to see what my results are. When my CRP was tested a few months ago, it was normal, but like some of you, it doesn't change even while flaring. The sample I submitted didn't have blood or mucus, but it was borderline D (sorry for being gross). Hopefully, the lab will get an accurate read with this.
Posted 8/12/2015 12:50 AM (GMT 0)
Crp is the most accurate of the three but sometimes not right at all wbc in the stool can indicate inflammation as well.
Rbc can also indicate occult blood in the stool.
Scoping and symptoms are the way to go ( no pun intended)
Posted 8/12/2015 4:54 AM (GMT 0)
Calprotectin is reported to be a very reliable indicator of gut inflammation. I have had the test twice, and both times the results were low; my GI said the numbers looked great. But my symptoms were bad at the time of the test, so it does not seem to be a very reliable test for me. Sigmoidoscopy has confirmed severe inflammation.

My impression is that is more common for the calprotectin test to show inflammation even when the patients feels OK (not aware of low level inflammation), but sometimes it can be the opposite. Or maybe the lab that did my test just screwed it up.
Posted 8/12/2015 10:10 AM (GMT 0)
My GI said to not think of it like a blood test where the level is focussed on. He said you can have a small patch of inflammation with a very high result if a lot of neutrophils get into the stool from the inflammed area.
Posted 8/19/2015 12:55 AM (GMT 0)
I still don't have my results back. I dropped off my "gift" last Monday, the 10th. Hmmm...getting impatient. Maybe I should call?
Posted 8/19/2015 1:23 AM (GMT 0)
I don't see any harm in calling. Usually they release my result to me electronically soon after they arrive. If you need to wait for a call, maybe calling would help make some progress. it's possible they aren't done yet, i've had them take a while a few times.
Posted 8/19/2015 1:30 AM (GMT 0)
Can't hurt to call. Most lab results take only a few days.
Posted 8/19/2015 1:35 AM (GMT 0)
it is considered the gold standard measurement of intestinal inflammation, find a good lab.
Posted 8/19/2015 7:22 PM (GMT 0)
That's interesting that it's the gold standard. My scope with biopsies showed severe inflammation, my symptoms were severe and my calprotectin was 50. According to my GI who is an IBD specialist at one of the largest centers in the US, we use a great lab and some of the best pathologists...
Posted 8/20/2015 7:28 AM (GMT 0)

notsosicklygirl said...
That's interesting that it's the gold standard. My scope with biopsies showed severe inflammation, my symptoms were severe and my calprotectin was 50. According to my GI who is an IBD specialist at one of the largest centers in the US, we use a great lab and some of the best pathologists...

You must've been on an extremely high dose of steroids at the time that can't be right!, also as with all inflammatory tests it must not be judged from a "single" test result but multiple ones i.e. biweekly for very active UC.
Posted 8/20/2015 3:04 PM (GMT 0)
I wasn't on any steroids at the time. Maybe it was a bad sample for some reason.

Worried, did you call?
Posted 8/20/2015 8:23 PM (GMT 0)

notsosicklygirl said...
I wasn't on any steroids at the time. Maybe it was a bad sample for some reason.

Worried, did you call?

I decided to give it until Monday before calling since normally my test results are posted online. Maybe this is just the world's slowest test!

On the bright side, things seem ok right now. I stopped the budesonide suppositories 2 weeks ago and the only new symptom I have since then is some visible mucus. Maybe there's still a bit of minor, low inflammation. Not even sure if the calprotectin test would pick up on that. We shall see!
Posted 8/23/2015 4:27 PM (GMT 0)
It came back and is 44 (normal). I dont understand this because over the last 2 weeks, my blood and mucus has been steadily increasing.
Posted 8/23/2015 7:48 PM (GMT 0)
huh!

a totally stupid question, Are you doing a Faecal calprotectin or a Plasma calprotectin or a Serum calprotectin test ?!

whats the unit of measurement and the suggested normal range for your age ?

did you do an ESR,CRP & WBC tests too ?
Posted 8/23/2015 11:53 PM (GMT 0)

Dreadsteel said...
huh!

a totally stupid question, Are you doing a Faecal calprotectin or a Plasma calprotectin or a Serum calprotectin test ?!

whats the unit of measurement and the suggested normal range for your age ?

did you do an ESR,CRP & WBC tests too ?

It was the faecal calprotectin test. From what I read, anything below 50 is normal. So at 44, I'm "normal" but close to not normal. Nothing too special showed up on my bloodwork last done in May.
Posted 8/24/2015 8:38 PM (GMT 0)
well regarding faecal calprotectin anything below 200 is considered good for those diagnosed with UC, you should have no symptoms at all if yours is 44 (if the test is done repeatedly and the results are consistent)


hmm let me get this straight, all of your blood work is normal and calprotectin is in normal people's range and you're not taking steroids yet you have steady increasing symptoms of blood and mucus ..........

there is a possibility that those symptoms are not caused from your UC, otherwise that can't be a good lab ! :D
Posted 8/24/2015 8:49 PM (GMT 0)

Dreadsteel said...
well regarding faecal calprotectin anything below 200 is considered good for those diagnosed with UC, you should have no symptoms at all if yours is 44 (if the test is done repeatedly and the results are consistent)


hmm let me get this straight, all of your blood work is normal and calprotectin is in normal people's range and you're not taking steroids yet you have steady increasing symptoms of blood and mucus ..........

there is a possibility that those symptoms are not caused from your UC, otherwise that can't be a good lab ! :D

If I had to guess what's going on, I still have very low rectal inflammation. I had a sigmoidoscopy in May and this is what they saw. Maybe that's not enough to be picked up by a fecal cal test or blood work.
Posted 8/24/2015 9:14 PM (GMT 0)
PLease tell me what the fecal calprotectin test is and how and why it's done....and what the results tell.
Thanks
NANAONE
Posted 8/25/2015 1:47 AM (GMT 0)

ONENANAnana323 said...
PLease tell me what the fecal calprotectin test is and how and why it's done....and what the results tell.
Thanks
NANAONE

It is a stool test to reveal your level of inflammation. You just submit a stool sample and that's it.
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