The LACTOFERRIN EZ VUE® is an immunochromatographic test for the qualitative detection of elevated levels of lactoferrin, a marker for fecal leukocytes and an indicator of intestinal inflammation. The test can be used as an in vitro diagnostic aid to identify patients with an active inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and rule out those with active non-inflammatory irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
IBD, which is a condition of chronic inflammation, consists of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Both of these diseases result in elevated fecal lactoferrin. As a result, patients with these diseases test positive in the LACTOFERRIN EZ VUE® test.
In patients with active IBS, the intestine appears normal upon endoscopic examination and there is no indication of inflammation. As a result, IBS patients test negative in the LACTOFERRIN EZ VUE® test.