ArticleBMJ paediatrics open2025
Faecal calprotectin reference ranges in early childhood: a cross-sectional study of healthy infants in Hungary.
Article in BMJ paediatrics open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Prevalence and Correlates of Environmental Enteric Dysfunction Among Young Children in Bangladesh.Maternal & child nutrition · 2026Article
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6 authors.
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Abstract
objectiveDifferentiating between functional and organic gastrointestinal disorders in infants and young children remains a diagnostic challenge. Faecal calprotectin (FC) has emerged as a non-invasive biomarker that can help to exclude organic pathology. This study aimed to establish age-specific reference ranges for FC in healthy Hungarian children aged 0-36 months, providing a practical tool for paediatric clinical decision-making.
methodsA total of 282 stool samples were obtained from 245 healthy children (142 boys, 103 girls). Eligibility was determined using strict inclusion criteria based on parental interviews and questionnaires. FC concentrations were measured with a single-test ELISA assay (Orgentec Sebia Diagnostika). Data analysis employed Random Forest Regression and non-parametric statistical methods, following the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute EP28-A3c guideline.
resultsMedian FC concentrations by age group were: 0-4 months, 181 µg/g (IQR 92.5-289.6); 4-12 months, 40.6 µg/g (IQR 14.2-100.3); and 12-36 months, 24.7 µg/g (IQR 4.62-59.27). FC levels peaked in the youngest age group (0-4 months) and declined steadily thereafter, showing a consistent downward shift in both median and upper percentile values with increasing age. No significant associations were found between FC and gender, birth weight, mode of delivery or type of nutrition.
conclusionsThis study provides age-specific reference values for FC in Hungarian children under 3 years of age. These results support the clinical use of FC testing to help exclude organic gastrointestinal disease, while emphasising the importance of appropriate test indication. The assay used proved to be reliable, minimally invasive, cost-effective and well suited for routine paediatric practice.
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