A Clinical Chemist's Perspective of the Benefits and Limitations of Fecal Calprotectin Testing

Fecal calprotectin is a highly sensitive assay that measures inflammation present in the intestinal tract. Gastroenterologists are increasingly ordering fecal calprotectin to screen and monitor patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Additionally Fecal Calprotectin can help differentiate the presence of inflammatory bowel disease from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Although the results are very useful for patients with IBD, there are some challenges that the clinical lab should be aware of when performing this testing in house. This presentation will discuss some of the benefits and limitations of the pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical processes for fecal calprotectin testing.

 

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