Fecal Lactoferrin and Calprotectin After Ileocolonic Resection for Crohn's Disease

Abstract

Crohn's disease patients maintain high fecal levels of lactoferrin and calprotectin at long-term follow-up after resection of the diseased bowel even in case of clinical remission. The significant correlation between the two fecal markers may be the expression of the ongoing intestinal inflammation. Only lactoferrin significantly correlated with C-reactive protein and showed a reliable threshold value for systemic inflammation. Lactoferrin fecal levels may be a reliable indicator for intestinal inflammation influencing the systemic inflammatory status. The third predictor of lactoferrin fecal level was the presence of episodes of clinical recurrence during the postoperative follow-up.