Fecal Calprotectin & Hyperinflammation Markers: IBD vs. IBS, and When Ferritin >10,000 Is a Diagnosis
Fecal Calprotectin & Hyperinflammation Markers: IBD vs. IBS, and When Ferritin >10,000 Is a Diagnosis The stool test that saves your patient a colonoscopy and the serum ferritin level that means macrophage activation, not iron overload. Part 1: Fecal Calprotectin—IBD vs. IBS Fecal calprotectin is a neutrophil-derived protein released into the gut lumen during intestinal inflammation. It's the single best non-invasive test for distinguishing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)—a distinction that saves patients from unnecessary colonoscopies and saves the healthcare system significant cost. How to Use It Calprotectin <50 µg/g : IBD very unlikely. Supports IBS or functional GI disorder. Negative predictive value >95%. 50–150 : Borderline. Repeat in 4–6 weeks. If persistently elevated, refer for GI evaluation. >150 : Intestinal inflammation likely. Correlate with clinical picture. Refer for colonoscopy/endoscopy to differentiate Crohn...