Role of fecal calprotectin in the diagnosis and treatment of segmental colitis associated with diverticulosis.

AIM

Information about fecal calprotectin (FC) in segmental colitis associated with diverticulosis (SCAD) is lacking. We assessed FC in SCAD, comparing it healthy controls (HC), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diverticular disease (DD), ulcerative colitis (UC). Moreover, we compared FC levels in different degrees of SCAD and assessed FC SCAD before and after treatment.

METHODS

Twenty-seven consecutive patients with a new endoscopic diagnosis of SCAD, and 16 patients for each control group, underwent to FC assessment. FC was assessed by semi-quantitative method.

RESULTS

FC was not increased in HC and in IBS patients, whilst it was increased in DD, SCAD, and UC. FC concentration was higher in SCAD and UC than in DD (SCAD vs. DD, P=0.05). No difference was found in FC concentration between SCAD and UC (P=0.213), as well as between different degree of SCAD (P= 0.178). After treatment, FC values decreased to normal values in all patients obtaining remission (P<0.0005). Three patients experienced still symptoms (one SCAD type B and two SCAD type D patients), and in all of them FC was still detectable.

CONCLUSION

FC may be useful in differentiating SCAD from functional syndromes. Moreover, it may be useful in assessing response to therapy.