CALPROTECTIN AS A MARKER OF INFLAMMATION IN CYSTIC-FIBROSIS

Calprotectin is an abundant neutrophil cytosolic protein released duri ng neutrophil activation or death. The use of plasma calprotectin conc entration as a marker of pulmonary inflammation was tested in 31 child ren with cystic fibrosis, none of whom was acutely unwell or pyrexic. Twenty three were receiving antibiotics, 21 had positive sputum cultur es, but none of the traditional tests clearly diagnosed ongoing infect ion. Plasma calprotectin was significantly higher in the cystic fibros is group than in matched controls. Sixteen children with cystic fibros is had values above dthe control range (320-1570 mu g/l). Their chest radiograph Northern score, an index of accumulated pulmonary involveme nt, and their plasma copper, an index of acute phase response, both co rrelated with plasma calprotectin. Plasma gamma-glutamyltransferase al so correlated weakly with plasma calprotectin: thus, hepatic pathology may be a confounding variable. However, the data still suggested that plasma calprotectin is a better index of inflammation than the tradit ional indices in general use.