CALPROTECTINUM

At laboratory “Nadejda” is available and can be done a quality and a quantity test for examination of calprotectinum.

Calprotectinum is a protein connecting calcium and zinc. In vitro researches show that it has bacteriostatic and fungiastic features. It’s enzyme degradation proof and can be tested in feces.

Calprotectinum is a neutrophilic marker, specific for inflammation of gastrointestinal tract. It is high when there’s infection, post infection syndrome of enteritis and enteropathy after taking of non-steroid anti-pyretical remedies. There are data of high values when gastroenterical neoplasmic processes occur. Normal are the values at the syndrome of enteritis and when it has started the healing process of mucosis.

 

Purpose of the examination of calprotectinum in feces:

Differentiating of the inflammation diseases of intestines (Cronn Disease, ulceristic colitis) caused by enteritis.

Monitoring and evaluation of treatment efficacy of inflammation diseases of intestines

Prognosis of risk of recess attacks of patients in clinical remission

Precise identification of patients that must go through endoscopy and/or colonoscopy

Alternative diagnostic test of patients with phobias from needles and endoscopy

 

Needed material and conditions of transportation:

Feces: 1-10 gr. in a small container

It’s possible the direct transportation of the specimen to the laboratory. At room temperature biological material can be tested up to 5 days, cooled at 2 to 8 grades - 8 days and frozen – 30 days.

 

Advantages of the test:

  1. The levels of calprotectinum of patients with inflammatory diseases are significantly high and are at a correlation with the endoscopic and histological diagnostics regarding the disease activity.

  2. The measuring of the calprotectinum correlates with the testing of fecal excretion of 111-indium marked leucocytes – a golden standard in diagnostics of intestines inflammation.

  3. Small quantity is needed.

  4. The material can be taken from patient’s home.

  5. Diminishing the number of endoscopic procedures.

  6. The result is ready in 30 min.

 

Interpretation of the results:

  1. When it’s a quality test – the result is positive or negative

  2. When it’s a quantity test – when values of the calprotectinum in feces are between 50 and 120 mcg/g, the test must be repeated and confirmed after 4-6 weeks

  3. Calprotectinum releases from activated leucocytes which leads to its high concentrations in plasma/serum, spine-cervical liquid, synovial liquid, urine, mouth secretion and excrements at bacterial infection or inflammation of the organs. The plasmic levels of calprotectinum reflect the disease activity at rheumatoid arthritis and lupus eritematosus better than from CUE and C-reactive protein.

  4. Zinc deficiency can be related to increased concentration of calprotectinum in plasma.

  5. Calprotectinum syndrome: the clinical picture is related to zinc deficiency – it can be observed retarded growing up of children and young people, oppression of the marrow, immune deficiency, hepatosplenomegalia, arthritis and vasculitis. Concentration of calprotectinum in the plasma of such patients is 2000-12 000 more than the normal. These huge quantities of calprotectinum connect so much zinc that in organism is caused functional zinc deficiency.