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Technology Insight: calprotectin, lactoferrin and nitric oxide as novel markers of inflammatory bowel disease

Nature Clinical Practice Gastroenterology & Hepatology volume 2, pages 96–102 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Distinguishing patients with inflammatory bowel disease from those with irritable bowel syndrome can be difficult. A simple and reliable test that detects intestinal inflammation would therefore be very useful in the clinic. If such a test parameter correlated with the intensity of the inflammatory reaction it could also be used to monitor disease activity. Calprotectin, lactoferrin and nitric oxide are produced and released locally in much greater quantities in the inflamed gut than in the noninflamed gut. These compounds can be readily measured in fecal samples (calprotectin and lactoferrin) or directly in the intestinal lumen (nitric oxide gas). Here, we discuss what is known about these markers, how they could be used in clinical practice and how they can complement existing techniques used for the diagnosis and monitoring of inflammatory bowel disease.

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Figure 1: Kaplan–Meier time-to-relapse curves for patients with Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) in relation to fecal calprotectin concentrations.
Figure 2: A receiver operating curve for fecal calprotectin.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge the Swedish Medical Research Council and EU's 6th Framework Program.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Professor of Pharmacology Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden

    Jon O Lundberg

  2. Professor of Medicine Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden

    Per M Hellström

  3. Professor of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden

    Eddie Weitzberg

  4. Professor emeritus at Ullevaal University Hospital, Oslo, Norway

    Magne K Fagerhol

  5. Senior Consultant at Aker University Hospital, Oslo, Norway

    Arne G Roseth

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  1. Jon O Lundberg
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  2. Per M Hellström
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  3. Magne K Fagerhol
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  4. Eddie Weitzberg
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  5. Arne G Roseth
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jon O Lundberg.

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Competing interests

Jon Lundberg and Eddie Weitzberg own shares in a company (Aerocrine AB) that develops equipment for measurements of exhaled NO. Arne Roseth and Magne Fagerhol own patent rights for the use of Calprotectin as a marker of disease.

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Lundberg, J., Hellström, P., Fagerhol, M. et al. Technology Insight: calprotectin, lactoferrin and nitric oxide as novel markers of inflammatory bowel disease. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2, 96–102 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncpgasthep0094

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