Fecal calprotectin predicts complete mucosal healing and better correlates with the ulcerative colitis endoscopic index of severity than with the Mayo endoscopic subscore in patients with ulcerative colitis

Background We aimed to evaluate the role of fecal calprotectin (FC) as a noninvasive marker for the disease activity of ulcerative colitis (UC) in a Korean cohort. Methods A total of 181 fecal samples were collected from 181 consecutive UC patients between April 2015 and September 2016. FC levels were measured using the Quantum Blue® Calprotectin rapid test. The laboratory test results, partial Mayo Score (pMS), and colonoscopic imaging findings at FC level measurement were retrospectively reviewed. The Mayo endoscopic subscore (MES) and UC endoscopic index of severity (UCEIS) were graded by 2 certified endoscopists after training with 50 other cases. Results The FC levels were significantly correlated with pMS (Spearman correlation coefficient r = 0.428, p