Background: FC is a surrogate marker of neutrophil influx into the bowel lumen because it is resistant to bacterial proteolytic destruction during transit through the gastrointestinal tract, has long-term stability in faeces (>7 days) at different temperatures, and is easy to assess As a result, FC has been suggested.
Aim of the study: Study the accuracy of fecal calprotactin as a non-invasive diagnostic modality in determining organic causes in cases of chronic non bloody diarrhea in adult patients.
Patients and methods: This was a case control study included 90 persons divided into 2 groups: 60 patients with chronic diarrhea as a study group and 30 persons without diarrhea as a control group, period from January 2021 to January 2022. Fecal calprotectin was performed for all persons in both groups. Colonoscopy was performed for patients with chronic diarrhea. As results of colonscopy, patients then were divided according to presence of inflammatory bowel disease.
Results: Fecal calprotectin was significantly higher among chronic diarrhea group. Also, number of patients with fecal calprotectin above 50; 100 were significantly higher among the study group. Fecal calprotectin was significantly higher among inflammatory bowel disease patients. Also, number of patients with fecal calprotectin above 50; 100 were significantly higher among the study group. At cut-off value equal 50 μg/ mg, fecal calprotectin had sensitivity equal to 92% and specificity equal to 88% to diagnose inflammatory bowel disease.
Conclusion: Fecal calprotectin has the potential to be a simple, noninvasive, and reliable screening technique for IBD.