Full text available at this link from Jeremy Adler: cghjournal.org/article/S1542-3565(13)01044-6/abstract#.Ut5vnV5z8Cw.twitter …

This article describes the use of fecal calprotectin (FC) levels as a screen for inflammatory bowel disease.  The false-negative rate for this assay is related to pre-test probability of having IBD.  Thus, in patients with a low probability of IBD, a normal calprotectin may allow avoidance of endoscopic evaluation and may be “particularly cost-effective when baseline clinical suspicion for IBD is low to moderate…the low FC cutoff value of 50 μg/g would substantially reduce the likelihood of false-negative FC, minimizing delayed diagnosis of true IBD.” In those with persistent symptoms, the article’s algorithm recommends proceeding with endoscopic evaluation.

Excerpt from abstract:

Conclusions

Screening adults and children to measure fecal levels of calprotectin is effective and cost-effective in identifying those with IBD on a per-case basis when the pre-test probability is ≤75% for adults and ≤65% for children. The utility of the test is greater for adults than children. Increasing the FC cutoff level to ≥50 μg/g increases diagnostic accuracy without substantially increasing total cost.

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