Table 1.

Diagnostic performance of different fecal calprotectin assays to support the diagnosis of SpA.

Quantum Blue CalprotectinLIAISON CalprotectinQUANTA Lite Calprotectin Extended Range
AUC (95% CI)0.658 (0.556–0.750)0.684 (0.583–0.774), p = 0.2964*0.661 (0.559–0.754), p = 0.9056*
Median (95% CI) in SpA (n = 52)59.0 µg/g (39.9–82.0)25.4 µg/g (15.8–38.7)24.6 µg/g (15.2–32.6)
Median (95% CI) in non-SpA (n = 47)32 µg/g (15.0–45.4), p = 0.0056§11.5 µg/g (7.9–16.6), p = 0.0017§13.0 µg/g (10.9–15.6) p = 0.0057§
Manufacturer’s cutoff50 µg/g200 µg/g50 µg/g50 µg/g120 µg/g
  Sensitivity for SpA (95% CI)56% (41–70)6% (1–16)29% (17–43)15% (7–28)0% (0–7)
  Specificity for SpA (95% CI)68% (53–81)98% (89–100)94% (83–99), p < 0.0001**96% (86–100), p < 0.0001**98% (89–100)
Cutoff at 98% specificity for SpA157 µg/g62 µg/g60 µg/g
  Sensitivity for SpA (95% CI)13% (6–26)21% (11–35)8% (2–19)
  Likelihood ratio for SpA (95% CI)6.3 (0.8–49.5)9.9 (1.3–74.1)3.6 (0.4–31.2)
  OR for SpA (95% CI)7.2 (0.8–60.5), p = 0.1308§§12.3 (1.5–99.8), p = 0.018§§3.8 (0.4–35.6), p = 0.2372§§
  • * Evaluation performed versus AUC Quantum Blue Calprotectin using the method of DeLong, et al, in MEDCALC software (version 17.1).

  • § Mann-Whitney U test (independent samples).

  • ** McNemar test (paired proportions) versus Quantum Blue Calprotectin.

  • §§ OR calculated using the method of Altman, et al, in MEDCALC: if the associated p value is < 0.05 it can be concluded that the OR is significantly different from 1 and that the odds in 1 group are significantly higher than in the other. SpA: spondyloarthropathies; AUC: area under the curve.