Korean J Gastroenterol.  2013 Nov;62(5):288-291. 10.4166/kjg.2013.62.5.288.

Role of Fecal Calprotectin in Differentiating between Hirschsprung's Disease and Functional Constipation

• Mahjoub FE
• Zahedi N
• Ashjai B
• Haghi Ashtiani MT
• Farahmand
• Monajemzadeh M
• Kashi L
• Iranikhah

• KMID: 1775736
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4166/kjg.2013.62.5.288

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
Calprotectin is a 36.5 kD calcium and zinc binding protein in the S100 protein family. Fecal calprotectin levels are elevated in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and some other gastrointestinal disorders such as colorectal carcinoma. We decided to evaluate the fecal calprotectin level to see if it was able to distinguish between functional and organic causes of constipation.
METHODS
Seventy-six children aged 1 to 120 months that all underwent deep rectal mucosa biopsies at Children Medical Center from November 2010 till September 2011 were recruited. Nineteen cases were diagnosed as Hirschsprung's disease and 57 of the patients had nerve ganglion cells in their biopsies. Calprotectin concentration was analyzed by the ELISA method.
RESULTS
Although there was a significant difference between the median of the two groups (p=0.036), the median was not above the predetermined cutoff value of 50 microg/g.
CONCLUSIONS
We propose that fecal calprotectin, using the above cutoff value, has limited value in differentiating functional constipation from Hirschsprung's disease.

Keyword

Constipation; Hirschsprung disease; Calprotectin; Feces; Pediatrics

MeSH Terms

Age Factors
Child
Child, Preschool
Constipation/*diagnosis
Diagnosis, Differential
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Feces/chemistry
Female
Hirschsprung Disease/*diagnosis/metabolism/pathology
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Intestinal Mucosa/pathology
Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex/*analysis
Male
Sex Factors
Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1. Box plot of fecal calprotectin concentration in children with functional constipation (group A, n=57) and Hirschsprung's disease (group B, n=19).

Reference

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