Els van de Vijver

34 CONCLUSION A diagnostic strategy in general paediatric practice of using a simple clinical case definition for suspected IBD in combination with a positive faecal calprotectin result increases the specificity to detect IBD and reduces the need for referral to a paediatric gastroenterology center with a very low risk of missing any cases. At the same time normal calprotectin levels confidently rule out intestinal inflammation and further investigations can be tailored appropriately without referring the patient for endoscopy. This is good news for patients (less invasive tests) and clinicians (shorter waiting lists for endoscopy). ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank the members of the North Netherlands Paediatric IBD Consortium (Gieneke Gonera-de Jong, Wilhelmina Hospital, Assen; Jan Uitentuis, Medical Center Leeuwarden; Obbe F. Norbruis, Isala Clinics, Zwolle; Lidy A.T. van Overbeek, Scheper Hospital, Emmen; Stefan van Dorth, De Tjongerschans Hospital, Heerenveen; and Herman J. Waalkens, Martini Hospital, Groningen) for recruiting their patients and facilitating this study. We thank dr Stijn Verhulst, Antwerp University Hospital, for reviewing the statistical calculations. Chapter 2