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Calprotectin Result

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 6/3/2020 4:10 PM (GMT -5)
Hi Everyone,

I had a look through a few historical questions related to Calprotectin results as I got my recent results today. When I say recent, it's only the second time I have received Calprotectin results. I'm curious about a few things as my first result, 16th March and two weeks prior to being hospitalized, was 1300. At that point, although I had a lot of pain and discomfort, I only had 2 BMs per day (I also had no idea what it was since I am newly diagnosed). In between 16th March and being hospitalized on 29th March, I deteriorated radically (25 BMs per day and lost 42ish pounds). Steroids didn't work fast enough so they had me start Inflectra, I had a reaction during the second infusion and it was found that I built up antibodies so a move to Humira was suggested. Just had my second Humira loading dose today, 2 injections. In parallel to all of this, I have been tapering prednisone and currently on 5mg per day, I will be off prednisone next Tuesday. My BMs are currently down to 2 per day, I haven't had a formed BM since this all started but have had a many where it looks like a bunch of soft little pieces.

My Calprotectin result I received today was 2400, much higher than the initial one. Granted the initial one was before things went downhill really bad and really fast.

My curiosity is related to the numbers. Is it accurate that the numbers don't really mean anything, specifically in the sense that 1300 before a flare will not result in the same symptoms as 1300 after a flare? I'm feeling a lot better now than I did before and I was quite shocked by how high the number was. Not that I really know if that's super high or not. I assume too based on some reading that 2400 in one person has no correlation with 2400 in another person, the symptoms could be totally different?

On another note, when I went into hospital my CRP was 188 and when I left hospital after 2 weeks it was 27.
Posted 6/5/2020 1:51 AM (GMT -5)
I know gastroenterologists generally consider calprotectin levels a reliable indicator of inflammation. However, I have had calprotectin levels that are "normal" while simultaneously having many symptoms of inflammation: frequency, urgency, loose stool, excess mucus, blood in stool, abdominal pain.

It seems calprotectin is not always well correlated with the degree of inflammation.
Posted 6/5/2020 2:45 PM (GMT -5)
I'd set more store by the CRP result than the calprotectin one. After a certain number (1000 or so), the number is off the scale and stops having any meaning. Most of my calprotectin results have been that high (except when I had my stoma, when it was around 50).

Either way you don't sound in remission to me. Hopefully the loading dose today will make a difference.
Posted 6/5/2020 5:00 PM (GMT -5)
Thank you! You’re definitely right, I’m not in remission yet, far from it. I was just curious if there is some sort of set levels to the numbers but it doesn’t seem to be the case.
Posted 6/5/2020 9:04 PM (GMT -5)
You're flaring, beyond that it doesn't mean much. I've heard of much higher scores than yours before. Ideally, you should see a decreasing trend over time.
Posted 6/7/2020 6:44 PM (GMT -5)
what kind of medicine do you take? some kind of medicines can lift the value of calprotectin.

i hav same problem with crp. in previous month my crp was 5.5 with 7-8 bm per day( white blood cells value is also ok) now my crp was 7.1.

i dont know what does it show to me.
in the past i was always my crp 16-18 , and i had 6-7 bm.

in last year my crp was 10-12 my doc told me this is very good but i had 4-6 bm.

on last my crp was 5.7 i have 5 8 bm per day, he told me my crp value is not important smile
Posted 6/8/2020 12:12 PM (GMT -5)
By tomorrow I'll just be on Humira. I took my last dose of prednisone this morning. My CRP was 188 when I went into hospital and down to 27 when I left hospital two weeks later. I haven't checked my CRP in the last 6 weeks.
Posted 6/13/2020 6:14 AM (GMT -5)
Hi, I was similar to you. When was in bad flare (up to 25 BMs/day) and hospitalised have a FC of >3000 and CRP of 200 ish. However when recovering my bloods returned to normal and 1-2 BMs/day I still had a high FC scores (800-1500) which signified a minor flare, the problem is if you are doing less BMs more of what they are looking for can build up so as others say the score doesn't matter so much its more if you're over 200 they will know you are flaring to some degree. Recently I've had normal bloods and FC scores <100 which matches with how I'm feeling and what they are seeing. So in my experience the exact number is not the most important thing its what range you're in and that has been a good tracker for me over the past few years.
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