Limitations of Fecal Calprotectin for Assessing Outcomes in Ulcerative Colitis

Fecal calprotectin is being used as a test to screen for inflammatory bowel disease and to follow disease activity.

In an industry-funded, 8-week, phase II trial of a biologic agent, investigators conducted a post hoc analysis of the association between fecal calprotectin levels and clinical and endoscopic outcomes in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Overall, the median fecal calprotectin concentration was significantly lower in patients with clinical remission, clinical response, endoscopic remission, or mucosal healing compared with patients with no response. However, on an individual patient level, the correlation was only moderate. A fecal calprotectin level of 150 mg/kg, which had the best performance in predicting outcomes, still had o…