Novel Turbidimetric Immunoassay Evaluated for Fecal Calprotectin
|
By LabMedica International staff writers Posted on 28 Sep 2016 |

Image: The BS-380 automatic biochemistry analyzer (Photo courtesy of Mindray).
Calprotectin is a multifunctional protein that plays an important role in the diagnosis and follow-up of inflammatory bowel disease and high levels of calprotectin in stool samples are associated with inflammation of the intestinal tract.
Fecal calprotectin assays are widely used to exclude inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in patients with suspected IBD, but the problem with most of the fecal calprotectin assays is the rather long test-turnaround times, before the results are available to the physician.
Scientists at Uppsala University (Sweden) optimized a particle enhanced turbidimetric immunoassay (PETIA) for fecal calprotectin and validated the assay for two clinical autoanalyzers using routine fecal samples. They compared the PETIA with a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), known as the Bühlmann fCAL ELISA (Bühlmann Laboratories, Schönenbuch, Switzerland). This new latex based turbidimetric calprotectin assay applies particles coated with anti-human calprotectin (MRP8/14) antibodies: the agglutination is proportional to the calprotectin concentration.
The fecal calprotectin PETIA was validated on two chemistry analyzers, the Mindray BS-380 (Mindray, Shenzhen, China) and the Cobas 501 (Roche Diagnostics, Basel, Switzerland). The assay is linear in the range 11 μg/g to 2,000 μg/g, with a limit of quantitation of approximately 10 μg/g. No antigen excess hook effect was observed up to 10,000 μg/g to 15,000 μg/g depending on the instrument used. The turbidimetric method showed a good agreement with the Bühlmann ELISA. The total coefficient of variation was 3% to 8% in the 50 μg/g to100 μg/g range.
The authors concluded that the fecal calprotectin PETIA, fCal Turbo, is well suited for rapid analysis of fecal calprotectin on Mindray BS-380 or Cobas 501 clinical chemistry analyzers. The test results are concordant with the Bühlmann fecal MRP8/14 ELISA. The study was published in the September 2016 issue of the Journal of Clinical Laboratory Analysis.
Related Links:
Uppsala University
Bühlmann Laboratories
Mindray
Roche Diagnostics
Fecal calprotectin assays are widely used to exclude inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in patients with suspected IBD, but the problem with most of the fecal calprotectin assays is the rather long test-turnaround times, before the results are available to the physician.
Scientists at Uppsala University (Sweden) optimized a particle enhanced turbidimetric immunoassay (PETIA) for fecal calprotectin and validated the assay for two clinical autoanalyzers using routine fecal samples. They compared the PETIA with a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), known as the Bühlmann fCAL ELISA (Bühlmann Laboratories, Schönenbuch, Switzerland). This new latex based turbidimetric calprotectin assay applies particles coated with anti-human calprotectin (MRP8/14) antibodies: the agglutination is proportional to the calprotectin concentration.
The fecal calprotectin PETIA was validated on two chemistry analyzers, the Mindray BS-380 (Mindray, Shenzhen, China) and the Cobas 501 (Roche Diagnostics, Basel, Switzerland). The assay is linear in the range 11 μg/g to 2,000 μg/g, with a limit of quantitation of approximately 10 μg/g. No antigen excess hook effect was observed up to 10,000 μg/g to 15,000 μg/g depending on the instrument used. The turbidimetric method showed a good agreement with the Bühlmann ELISA. The total coefficient of variation was 3% to 8% in the 50 μg/g to100 μg/g range.
The authors concluded that the fecal calprotectin PETIA, fCal Turbo, is well suited for rapid analysis of fecal calprotectin on Mindray BS-380 or Cobas 501 clinical chemistry analyzers. The test results are concordant with the Bühlmann fecal MRP8/14 ELISA. The study was published in the September 2016 issue of the Journal of Clinical Laboratory Analysis.
Related Links:
Uppsala University
Bühlmann Laboratories
Mindray
Roche Diagnostics
Latest Clinical Chem. News
- Urine-Based Multi-Cancer Screening Test Receives FDA Breakthrough Device Designation
- Blood Test Predicts Alzheimer Disease Risk Before Imaging Changes and Symptoms
- Study Finds ApoB Testing More Effective Than LDL for Guiding Lipid Therapy
- AI-Enabled POC Test Quantifies Multiple Cardiac Biomarkers
- Next Generation Automated Analyzers Increase Throughput for Clinical Chemistry and Electrolyte Testing
- Blood Metabolite Test Detects Early Cognitive Decline
- AI-Based Blood Test Diagnose Multiple Brain Disorders from Blood Sample
- Automated NfL Assay Supports Monitoring of Neurological Disorders
- Blood-Based Screening Test Targets Early Detection of Colorectal Cancer
- New CLIA Status Brings Mass Spectrometry Steroid Testing to Routine Labs
- CSF Biomarker Improves Diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia
- Simple Urine Home Test Kit Could Detect Early-Stage Breast Cancer
- Study Shows Dual Biomarkers Improve Accuracy of Alzheimer’s Detection
- New Tool Tracks Biomarker Changes to Predict Myeloma Progression
- New Plasma Tau Assay Improves Prediction of Alzheimer’s Progression
- First IVD Immunoassay to Detect Alzheimer’s Risk Gene Variant Receives CE Mark
Channels
Clinical Chemistry
view channel
Urine-Based Multi-Cancer Screening Test Receives FDA Breakthrough Device Designation
Early detection across multiple cancers remains a major unmet need in population screening. Non-invasive approaches that can be delivered at scale may broaden access and shift diagnoses to earlier stages.... Read more
Blood Test Predicts Alzheimer Disease Risk Before Imaging Changes and Symptoms
Alzheimer's disease often advances silently for years, making timely risk stratification difficult in routine practice. Current approaches to detect pathology can involve lumbar puncture or positron emission... Read moreMolecular Diagnostics
view channel
Machine Learning Model Uses DNA Methylation to Predict Tumor Origin in Cancers of Unknown Primary
Cancers of unknown primary (CUP) are metastatic malignancies in which the primary site cannot be identified, complicating treatment selection. Many patients consequently receive broad, nonspecific chemotherapy... Read more
Blood Test Enables Early Detection and Classification of Glioma
High-grade gliomas, particularly glioblastoma, are fast-growing brain tumors that are often diagnosed late and typically require invasive procedures for confirmation. Current pathways rely on symptoms,... Read more
Multi-Biomarker Blood Test Detects Early-Stage Cancers Across Types
Abbott is showcasing its Cancerguard multi-cancer early detection (MCED) test at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2026, where new data highlight continued progress in... Read more
New Sample-to-Answer PCR System Supports High-Throughput Infectious Disease Testing
Clinical laboratories face mounting demand for rapid, high‑volume molecular testing for infectious diseases, including routine monitoring in immunocompromised patients. Consolidated, sample‑to‑answer workflows... Read moreHematology
view channel
Routine Blood Test Parameters Link Anemia to Cancer Risk and Mortality
Anemia detected in routine care can signal underlying pathology and is frequently encountered in adults. Because it is defined by hemoglobin levels below the normal range, it is often evaluated with red... Read more
Prognostic Tool Guides Personalized Treatment in Rare Blood Cancer
Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) is a rare blood cancer in which acquired genetic mutations in bone marrow stem cells drive disease. Stem cell transplantation is the only curative option but carries... Read moreMicrobiology
view channel
Rapid Blood-Culture Susceptibility Panel Expands Coverage for Gram-Negative Infections
Gram-negative bloodstream infections and sepsis demand fast, precise antimicrobial therapy, yet conventional susceptibility workflows can delay targeted treatment. Clinical laboratories need platforms... Read more
Antibiotic Resistance Genes Found in Newborns Within Hours of Birth
Antibiotic resistance in early life is challenging to characterize, particularly around the timing and drivers of gene acquisition in newborns. Meconium, the first stool passed by infants, was long considered... Read morePathology
view channel
AI Precision Tests Deliver Cancer Risk Insights from Routine H&E Slides
Reliable prognostic profiling and biomarker screening are essential to guide oncology treatment decisions, while laboratories must balance speed and resource constraints. Earlier identification of high‑risk... Read more
Study Reveals Moleclar Mechanism Driving Aggressive Skin Cancer
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the world’s second most common skin cancer, and while many cases are treatable, a subset becomes highly aggressive and therapy‑resistant. Identifying molecular... Read moreTechnology
view channel
AI Tool Predicts Non-Response to Targeted Therapy in Colorectal Cancer
Advanced bowel cancer remains difficult to treat, and many patients receive targeted therapies that do not help them but still cause harm. Clinicians need reliable ways to identify likely responders before... Read more
Integrated System Streamlines Pre-Analytical Workflow for Molecular Testing
Pre-analytical variation remains a leading source of inconsistent molecular test results and added costs, particularly when laboratories rely on multiple instruments and protocols. Standardizing nucleic... Read moreIndustry
view channel
QuidelOrtho Adds Ultra-Fast PCR Platform with LEX Acquisition
QuidelOrtho Corporation has completed the acquisition of LEX Diagnostics for approximately USD 100 million in cash. The transaction adds the LEX VELO System to QuidelOrtho’s portfolio. The platform received U.... Read more
Seegene Showcases Real-Time PCR Data Analytics Platform at ESCMID
Seegene introduced STAgora, a real-time data analytics platform built on aggregated statistical testing data, at ESCMID Global 2026 in Munich, where it also presented an enhanced model of its automated... Read more
Roche Affiliate Expands MRD Portfolio with SAGA Acquisition
Foundation Medicine, Inc., an independent affiliate of Roche, announced plans to expand its monitoring portfolio with SAGA Diagnostics’ Pathlight, a personalized, tumor-informed molecular residual disease... Read more







