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CRP and calprotectin

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 12/10/2019 9:11 PM (GMT -5)
Ops I meant CRP Are these different measures and tests or are they the same thing?

ETA: ok I realize now that they are different. My CRP is .7 (within normal range) and my calpro is 100 (my GI said that this is in the “green zone” but she thinks it’s on the low side because I just came off prednisone) 🤷‍♀️ Either way, I can afford to wait and see right now smile

Post Edited By Moderator (Michelejc) : 12/11/2019 9:43:16 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 12/10/2019 9:30 PM (GMT -5)
Hey Rosie!
Yes those are two different tests. CRP is C Reactive Protien and is measured via blood while calprotectin is a test via stool sample. I did the calprotectin in the summer after my first colonoscopy showed inflammation and suspected UC. The calprotectin test proves a person has IBD if the value is elevated, as far as I know. While the CRP is a measure of inflammation. Others can clarify further but that’s my general understanding.
Posted 12/10/2019 10:08 PM (GMT -5)
That makes sense. I remember before I was diagnosed 2 years ago, and I was bleeding night and day for weeks, I kept asking if there were signs of inflammation in my blood tests, and when I was told no, I believed (wrongly) that the only explanation was cancer.
Posted 12/10/2019 11:06 PM (GMT -5)
When I was first diagnosed, I'm almost positive that they told me my blood tests were normal, too, even though I was extremely sick and bleeding a lot. That's good news your results have not changed. I don't know why your doctor assumes you won't stay in remission. That just wasn't my experience for many years.
Posted 12/11/2019 4:21 AM (GMT -5)
CRP only starts to rise when there is massive tissue death from inflammation. A lot of inflammation, even with bleeding, may not involve actual tissue death.

In my opinion, if inflammation can be detected by measuring CRP, then it is already getting severe.
Posted 12/11/2019 11:07 AM (GMT -5)
Really? I thought I’d heard that CRP wasn’t an entirely reliable indication of a flare because other things could cause it to rise. For instance my blood work a couple of months ago showed a slightly elevated CRP but I was still in the middle of a chest cold at the time and my dr (not my GI) said it could be from that.
Posted 12/11/2019 11:08 AM (GMT -5)
I disagree that CRP only rises with massive tissue death. My CRP is usually sub 2.0, but even in a very mild flare it will move to 10+.

CRP reliability varies from person to person, generally speaking, FCP is more accurate than CRP for determining IBD severity.
Posted 12/11/2019 12:47 PM (GMT -5)
My dr says a CRP test is a marker, it detects inflammation but it doesn't tell where the inflammation is located. He orders FCP because it is more accurate & reliable. I have had high CRP (not ordered by my gi) results for other issues.
Posted 12/14/2019 5:03 AM (GMT -5)
What Susie said. They're both inflammation markers. FCP is especially accurate for inflammation in the rectum, where UCers tend to have it worst. It's less accurate for inflammation higher up in the digestive tract because then the calprotectin can break down before being excreted.
Since in UC the inflammation is localised to the outer layer of the bowel wall it may not show up in a CRP test.
My sister with ileitis (crohns) gets high CRP and low FCP during a flare. I'm the opposite.
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