Occult blood is blood that does not change the color of the stool and is not detected macro- and microscopically. This may indicate the presence of gastrointestinal bleeding of any etiology, even if the symptoms are not noticeable.

Hemoglobin in feces

Hemoglobin is a highly specific marker for the diagnosis of bleeding from the lower gastrointestinal tract. However, due to its instability, it can be destroyed during passage through the intestine, which can lead to “false negative” results for bleeding from the stomach or upper intestine.

Transferrin in feces

Transferin is a more stable protein that enters the intestinal lumen only during bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract. Due to its stability, transferrin allows you to accurately detect bleeding in these areas. This study does not cross-react with hemoglobin and transferrin of animal origin, so the patient does not need to exclude meat from the diet before the analysis.

Indications for the study

• Early screening for the diagnosis of colorectal cancer, including preventive examinations after the age of 50.
• Non-invasive diagnosis of occult gastrointestinal bleeding and selection of patients for endoscopic examination.
• Differential diagnosis of anemia.
• Diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases, such as: intestinal polyposis, diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis, necrotizing enterocolitis in young children, etc.
• When detecting helminths - to assess damage to the gastrointestinal mucosa.
• Assessment of the effectiveness of therapy for: gastric ulcer, nonspecific ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, intestinal tuberculosis and other diseases.

Patient preparation rules:

• 14 days before the analysis: exclude instrumental examinations of the gastrointestinal tract (for example, colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy), which can cause mechanical damage to the mucosa.
• Stop taking antimicrobial drugs, laxatives, enemas, suppositories for 3 days.
• No special diet is required before the study.
• Feces are collected only in specially designed plastic containers with a lid, which can be purchased at pharmacies or medical institutions.

Deadline: 24 hours