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Calprotectin Test: A Comprehensive Guide for Patients
Introduction
The calprotectin test is a valuable tool in medical diagnostics, particularly for assessing intestinal health. It helps healthcare providers diagnose and monitor inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and other conditions that affect the intestine.
Test Overview
Calprotectin is a protein released by white blood cells in the intestine when there is inflammation. The calprotectin test measures the amount of calprotectin in the stool, which can indicate the severity and activity of intestinal inflammation.
Conditions and Diseases Detected
The calprotectin test can aid in the diagnosis of the following conditions:
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
- Microscopic colitis: Lymphocytic colitis and collagenous colitis
- Infectious colitis: Bacterial or viral infections
- Diverticulitis: Inflammation of small pouches in the colon
Symptoms
The following symptoms may prompt your healthcare provider to order a calprotectin test:
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Bloody stools
- Weight loss
- Fever
Preparation Guidelines
Preparing for a calprotectin test is straightforward:
- Fasting: No fasting is required.
- Specimen collection: Collect a stool sample in a clean container provided by your healthcare provider.
Procedure
The calprotectin test is a simple and non-invasive procedure:
- Stool collection: You will be given a specimen container and instructions on how to collect a stool sample.
- Laboratory analysis: The stool sample will be analyzed in a laboratory to measure the amount of calprotectin present.
Duration and Waiting Time
- Test duration: The procedure takes only a few minutes to collect the stool sample.
- Waiting time: Results are typically available within 2-3 business days.
Additional Tests
Your healthcare provider may recommend additional tests along with the calprotectin test for a more complete health assessment:
- Colonoscopy
- Endoscopy
- Blood tests
- Imaging tests
Conclusion
The calprotectin test is a valuable diagnostic tool for assessing intestinal inflammation. It can help diagnose IBD and other conditions, monitor treatment response, and assess the risk of relapse. If you experience symptoms suggestive of intestinal inflammation, talk to your healthcare provider about whether the calprotectin test is right for you.
Synonyms
- Fecal calprotectin
- MRP8/14
Conditions and Disease
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Crohn’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Microscopic colitis
- Infectious colitis
- Diverticulitis
Symptoms
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Bloody stools
- Weight loss
- Fever
What the Test Can Identify
- Inflammation in the intestine
- Activity of inflammatory bowel disease
- Response to treatment
- Risk of relapse
Organs Tested
- Intestine
Keywords
- Calprotectin
- Fecal calprotectin
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Crohn’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Microscopic colitis
- Infectious colitis
- Diverticulitis
- Intestinal inflammation
- Stool test
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