Fecal calprotectin and NSAIDs

[Mavvy]

New here and just going through investigations for IBD. My GP has told me that my first fecal calprotectin at 480 and then a repeat at 670 are very high meaning that IBD is likely. My main symptom is chronic non-bloody diarrhea and extreme fatigue. I’m getting very anxious with the waiting for tests and have now spotted in lots of places that using NSAIDs can elevate FC results and I take ibuprofen most days for back pain as well as 40mg omeprazole for longstanding GERD. My question is does anyone know by how much these drugs could push up the FC? My GP didn’t ask me if I took NSAIDs, has just seemed to assume that I’ve got IBD. I know that above 250 is a positive FC but no idea how high it can go. Any thoughts and shared experience very welcome thanks.

 

[kiny]

FC tells you very little diagnostically. It tells you there is high intestinal inflammation in your case. This could be from crohn's disease, or a whole host of other reasons, including foodborne infections. Very unlikely that it is just from taking NSAID.

Until a colonoscopy with a biopsy happens, where they will look where the inflammation is, check for the presence of granuloma, and look over the biopsy, it is just speculation.

I know that above 250 is a positive FC but no idea how high it can go.

No set-in-stone rules for this, anything above 200 is abnormal, anything above 500 is high inflammation and cause for concern. As far as how high FC can go is not that relevant because it starts to depend on disease location and testing kit (2,000+ is not unheard of).

 

[Mavvy]

Thanks for reply. I obviously need more info from the other investigations and no jumping to conclusions.