Fecal calprotectin as a biomarker of microscopic bowel inflammation in patients with spondyloarthritis.

Aim: Microscopic bowel inflammation is present in up to 60% of all patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA) and appears to be associated with more severe joint disease and a higher risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study aimed to determine the utility of fecal calprotectin (fCAL) in evaluating endoscopic and histological bowel inflammation in SpA patients.

Methods: Ileocolonoscopies with biopsies and fCAL measurements were performed in 65 patients with SpA.