EPX, eosinophil protein X (feces)

EPX, eosinophil protein X (feces) too high

A raised value may fit activity of eosinophils in the gut. This occurs with an infection with worms or other parasites, with a food allergy, with chronic inflammatory bowel disease and with a rare inflammation of the gut caused by eosinophils. There is no condition for which EPX in stool is used to make a diagnosis. A food allergy is not diagnosed with this test.

EPX, eosinophil protein X (feces) too low

A low value is the usual result and has no further meaning. It does not rule out a food allergy or a parasite.

Useful for

In people without symptoms, an abnormal result says little, because the meaning has not been established and a passing infection or a painkiller can raise the value. With long-lasting diarrhea or abdominal symptoms, the GP uses calprotectin in the stool to rule out a chronic inflammation of the bowel, and a blood test if celiac disease is suspected. With blood in the stool, unintended weight loss, diarrhea at night or new bowel symptoms after age 50, this test is no substitute for a visit to the GP.

How common is it?

Bowel symptoms are common: according to the guideline, irritable bowel syndrome affects about 4 in 100 adults in the Netherlands. Chronic inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are much rarer; the guideline gives no Dutch figure for them. How often an abnormal result for these markers occurs in people without symptoms is not known.

Dutch medical specialists' guideline (FMS) on irritable bowel syndrome (NHG and NVMDL)