ASSESSMENT OF DISEASE-ACTIVITY IN ULCERATIVE-COLITIS BY FECAL CALPROTECTIN, A NOVEL GRANULOCYTE MARKER PROTEIN

This study comprised 62 outpatients with ulcerative colitis who underw ent 64 colonoscopies. The disease activity was evaluated according to endoscopic and histological criteria. The results revealed a significa nt correlation between both the endoscopic as well as the histological gradings of disease activity and faecal calprotectin. The median faec al calprotectin levels in the control group (6 mg/l) and in the patien ts with no or low disease activity (11.5 mg/l) were significantly diff erent (p < 0.0001). The median calprotectin level among patients with active disease was 68 mg/l which was significantly different from the latter group (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, we suggest that the degree of inflammation rather than the extent of the disease determined the faec al calprotectin levels. In conclusion, assessment of faecal calprotect in seems to be a marker of disease activity in patients with ulcerativ e colitis.