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Review
. 2015 Jan;8(1):23-36.
doi: 10.1177/1756283X14553384.

The role and utility of faecal markers in inflammatory bowel disease

Frank S Lehmann  1 , Emanuel Burri  1 , Christoph Beglinger  2
Affiliations
Review

The role and utility of faecal markers in inflammatory bowel disease

Frank S Lehmann et al. Therap Adv Gastroenterol. 2015 Jan.

Abstract

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are characterized by periods of symptomatic relapse and remission. Diagnosis and assessment of inflammatory bowel disease has so far been based on clinical evaluation, serum parameters, radiology and endoscopy. Faecal markers such as calprotectin or lactoferrin have emerged as new diagnostic tools to detect and monitor intestinal inflammation. This review focuses on their potential clinical applications and limitations in the management of inflammatory bowel disease.

Keywords: Crohn’s disease; calprotectin; inflammation; inflammatory bowel disease; lactoferrin; ulcerative colitis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

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