METHOD FOR DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME AND INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE USING LACTOFERRIN AS MARKER

摘要

A method for aiding in differentiating irritable bowel syndrome frominflammatory bowel disease by determining the level of total endogenous humanlactoferrin in clinical specimens, such as feces, mucus and bile, wherein anelevated level of lactoferrin substantially precludes diagnoses of IBS andother noninflammatory etiologies, and a kit usable in such method areprovided. Further provided is a method for quantitating the level of totalendogenous human lactoferrin in clinical specimens, such as feces, mucus andbile, to monitor gastrointestinal inflammation in persons having inflammatorybowel disease.