IBD and IBS

What’s the difference?

It is often difficult to differentiate patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) from those who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) due to similar symptoms of patients.  Both groups show similar non-specific symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhoea.

One significant difference between IBD and IBS is the presence of inflammation in the intestines.  This can be determined by immunological tests that quantify the Calprotectin concentration.

The amount of Calprotectin in the stool correlates directly with the intensity of the inflammation and gives the doctor an indication of whether a colonoscopy might be useful.  In this way the analysis of Calprotectin in stool helps to ensure an efficient treatment adapted to the needs of the patient.

The analysis of Calprotectin in stool is a method for the differential diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and is used for monitoring the course of IBD diseases.

Calprotectin in stool can be detected by immunological tests such as the RIDASCREEN® Calprotectin test.