fecal calprotectin as a biomarker distinguishing infectious cause in acute intestinal infections, comparing different age groups of children

Background: fecal calprotectin (fc) measurement has a potential in distinguishing the cause of acute intestinal infections, but its distribution is age dependent. objectives: with this study we wanted to investigate fc values in different age groups of children with acute intestinal infections. methods: one hundred and three children with acute intestinal infections were enrolled in this study. seventy two had viral pathogens, 31 bacterial test subjects were divided into 3 groups: ≤ 1 y, 1 - 3 y, 3 - 7 y. stool samples from test and control subjects (n = 17) were tested for fc with fluorescence enzyme immunoassay. results: viral and bacterial pathogen groups had significantly greater fc concentrations, compared to healthy controls. overall, bacterial pathogen group presented with greater fc values, compared to viral pathogen group (1299.0 mg/kg vs 297.0 mg/kg, p = 0.002). the cut-off value for acute viral intestinal infections was > 70.0 mg/kg (78.2% sensitivity and 100% specificity), bacterial intestinal infections: > 201.0 mg/kg (88% sensitivity and 100% specificity). there was no difference in fc concentration between bacterial and viral pathogen groups in children under one-year-old (391.0 mg/kg vs 399.5 mg/kg, p = 0.945). differences were significant comparing bacterial and viral pathogen groups of children from 1 to 3 (316.0 mg/kg vs 1799.75 mg/kg, p = 0.001) and from 3 to 7 years old (99.0 mg/kg vs1299.0 mg/kg, p = 0.04). conclusions: fc is a valuable biomarker for distinguishing bacterial and viral pathogens, except for children under one-year-old.