In case of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, for a more accurate diagnosis of its cause, the attending physician prescribes various studies, among which one of the most informative is the coprogram.
What is coprogram
Coprogram (or coprolgia) is a study of feces in order to determine their physical and chemical composition, as well as the presence of abnormal inclusions to clarify and confirm a particular disease, as well as for the dynamics of the development of the disease and the appointment of effective therapy.
Fecal contents are formed when a lump of food (chyme) moves from the mouth to the anal canal along the digestive tract. In the feces, particles of undigested products, fecal pigments, epithelial cells of various areas of the intestine, various microorganisms can be found, and their content and quantity can be determined. Having carefully studied the appearance of feces, its contents, the presence or absence of mucus, properties and composition, chemical, biochemical and physical indicators, the laboratory assistant will make an appropriate conclusion, on the basis of which the attending physician will determine the cause of the disease as accurately as possible and prescribe the most effective treatment.
When a coprogram is prescribed
The study of feces is necessary to obtain complete information about the work of the digestive system. Therefore, the coprogram is prescribed for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, dysfunction of the digestive system, disorders of the pancreas, disorders of bile production and neoplasms in the intestine.
Indications for a coprogram are also the presence of the following problems:
- pathological processes of the gastrointestinal tract;
- diseases of the duodenum,
- parasitic lesions of the body, including helminthic invasions,
- inflammatory and infectious processes,
- dysfunction of the pancreas, liver and gallbladder,
- oncological diseases of internal organs.
It is recommended to carry out the coprogram several times: before treatment - to identify the cause of the disease and confirm the diagnosis and after treatment to determine how effective the therapy was.
Also, scatological studies can reveal dysbiosis, characterized by a violation of the ratio of normal and pathogenic microorganisms, in which there is a significant increase in the latter.
How to prepare for the study
If the coprogram is assigned in advance, you should properly prepare for the delivery of the analysis and exclude factors that may affect the correctness of the analysis. Therefore, before taking the test material (feces), you need to adhere to a certain diet, excluding fatty, smoked, salty foods from the diet. There are also restrictions on the use of certain medications, for example, laxatives and antibacterial agents. Critical days in women can also change the "correctness" of the analysis, so you cannot donate feces for analysis during menstruation. The reliability of the study is also influenced by the enema done before stool sampling. Therefore, it should be remembered that the collection of material for the coprogram is carried out only after natural bowel movement.
Before collecting feces, you need to perform hygiene procedures, urinate (empty the bladder), use detergents to toilet the intimate areas, and then rinse the genitals and anal passage with warm (preferably boiled) water.
The sampling of material for research is carried out in a special sterile container (it is sold in pharmacies). For convenience, a small spatula is attached to the lid of the container, which captures the feces. For the objectivity of the study, you need to take several samples of feces from different parts of it. The total volume of material for analysis should be half a teaspoon.
Feces collection in children
If it is necessary to examine the feces of children, the sampling algorithm is similar to that described above.
If your child knows how to use a potty, wait until he has a bowel movement, then collect some stool in a special container. But do not forget, before you put the baby on the pot, thoroughly wash the container with the detergent, then treat it with boiling water and wipe it dry.
To collect feces from a baby, you need to use reusable diapers or oilcloth and wait until the baby has emptied his intestines.
To get reliable results, keep urine out of your stool. To do this, you can use special urine bags that are attached to the baby's body in the genital area. During the toilet, urine will collect in a specially designated place and will not affect the quality of the test material. If it is difficult to collect feces from your baby for analysis, try using a urine collection bag. Naturally, it will need to be fixed in the anal area.
What will the results of scatology tell you?
- When examining the results of the coprogram, comparing the obtained indicators with the norm, it is possible to reveal a violation of the functions of the gastrointestinal tract and internal organs. In particular, the following are evaluated:
- intestinal microbiological indicators,
- enzymatic activity of the pancreas,
- speed of passage of food,
- digestive capacity of the stomach and intestines,
- pathological changes in the digestive system,
- the presence of parasites in the body,
- possible inflammation and bleeding.
With a repeated coprogram, the effectiveness of the selected methods of treatment and the prescribed therapy is determined.
The coprogram reflects research on a wide range of indicators, which is actually not as difficult to understand as it seems at first glance. In the prepared research table, parameters such as indicator, result and rate are usually indicated.
When studying the properties of feces, the main attention is paid to the following microscopic parameters:
- soluble protein,
- blood,
- slime,
- stercobilin,
- bilirubin,
- iodophilic flora,
- neutral fat,
- soap,
- connective fibers,
- starch (extracellular and intracellular),
- muscle fibers
- fatty acid,
- vegetable fiber,
- leukocytes,
- detritus,
- ammonia,
- yeast mushrooms,
- helminth eggs.
As part of a macroscopic study, they study:
- shape,
- Colour,
- consistency,
- smell,
- reaction to occult blood.
Decoding the results
The absence of soluble protein, blood, iodophilic flora, bilirubin, neutral fat, muscle and connective fibers, fatty acids, plant fiber, detritus, yeast fungi and helminths in the analyzes of feces is normal. A slight presence of mucus, connective and muscle fibers, leukocytes and soaps is also allowed. Infants and newborns under three months of age may have small amounts of bilirubin and neutral fat. Normal research indicators include the content of 20-40 mol / kg of ammonia, and from 75 to 350 mg (daily dose) of stercobilin.
A deviation from the norm indicates possible problems. Thus, the presence of soluble protein indicates possible inflammation of the mucous membrane, polyps and neoplasms. Particles of blood - about internal bleeding in the intestines. An excess of the normal amount of mucus indicates inflammatory processes in the intestines and infections in the intestines. An increased content of stercobilin indicates bleeding and anemia caused in connection with this, an indicator below the norm indicates an obstruction of the bile ducts.
The presence of bilirubin in the feces reports disturbances in the rate of digestion and passage of food, dysbiosis and acute inflammation.
Disorders of bile secretion and lipolytic function of the pancreas are evidenced by the presence of neutral fat, a decrease in the secretory function of the pancreas and stomach is indicated by muscle and connective fibers. Starch indicates problems with the small intestine, the presence of iodophilic flora and yeast indicates dysbiosis. An increased concentration of soaps indicates inflammation of the pancreas and possible formation of gallstones. Leukocytes and an increased amount of ammonia indicate inflammatory processes in the intestines, fatty acids - a violation of the function of bile secretion. Parasitic invasion is indicated by the presence of helminth eggs in the feces.
