Fecal Calprotectin and Quality of Life Questionnaires Are Responsive to Change in Pouch Disease Activity After Antibiotic Therapy: Results From a Prospective Clinical Trial.

Introduction: Whether fecal calprotectin (FC) and quality of life (QoL) questionnaires reflect change in disease activity in patients with a J-pouch is unknown.

Methods: Patients with acute pouchitis were prospectively treated with a 2-week course of antibiotics. The full Pouchitis Disease Activity Index, FC, and QoL questionnaires were measured at baseline and after antibiotic therapy.

Results: Twenty patients were prospectively enrolled. After 2 weeks of antibiotic treatment, the Pouchitis Disease Activity Index decreased from a median of 9 to 5 ( P = 0.007). FC decreased from a median of 661 ug/g to 294 ug/g ( P = 0.02), and QoL questionnaires improved significantly.

Discussion: FC and QoL questionnaires reflect real-time changes in inflammatory pouch activity.