The Biochemistry Laboratory at St James’s Hospital is one of the largest and most advanced chemical pathology laboratories in Ireland. It has recently introduced new testing services to help provide faster, more accurate results, supporting better patient care.

Calprotectin

Calprotectin is a faecal biomarker which is indicative of intestinal inflammation. Testing for calprotectin is used to identify patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and differentiate between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It is also used to monitor treatment response and disease progression of IBD.

The Biochemistry laboratory team updated our Calprotectin systems in SJH using the BioSystems A15S analyser with an immunoturbidimetric assay. A total of 2,878 tests were performed from August to December 2024. The analyser is used 3 days per week to maintain our TAT (turnaround times) but the laboratory service and this analyser in particular, has the potential to expand the volume of testing performed including supports to our external hospital partners for management of their patients. However, this request is subject to additional resources due to ongoing challenges with medical scientist resources.

Calprotectin is a substance found in faeces that helps doctors check for inflammation in the gut. This test is useful for identifying conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and for telling the difference between IBD and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It is also used to monitor how well treatment is working and how the disease is progressing.

At St James’s Hospital, our Biochemistry Laboratory recently upgraded the way we test for calprotectin. We now use a new analyser called the BioSystems A15S, which allows us to run tests more efficiently. Between August and December 2024, we carried out 2,878 calprotectin tests. The analyser is currently used three days a week and helps us to deliver results quickly. It could handle more tests and support other hospitals, but expanding the service depends on having more medical scientists, which is currently a challenge.

Patients at St James’s Hospital can access calprotectin testing, with most referrals coming from our Gastroenterology Clinics. Since upgrading our equipment in August 2024, we’ve reduced the time it takes to deliver results from 10 days to just 2, allowing doctors to use results in real-time to guide patient treatment. We also test for Inflectra, a common IBD medication, and its anti-drug antibodies, to monitor how well it’s working through therapeutic drug monitoring. This means we offer a complete testing service to support the care and management of IBD patients.

Urea Breath Testing

The Urea Breath Test (UBT) is used to check for Helicobacter pylori (H.Pylori), infection, a common cause of stomach issues.  It also helps medical teams to see if treatment has worked.  At St James’s Hospital, samples are collected by a trained nurse in the Gastroenterology Clinic.   Because this process takes time, it limits how many patients we can test.  Since 2023, we have been using the Kibion Dynamic analyser to carry out UBT testing, with results usually ready in five days.  Thanks to the new system, we can collect and test samples quicker.