Stool biomarkers and meat intake may forewarn IBD flares, study suggests

A large UK study (PREdiCCt) of over 2,600 people with inflammatory bowel disease found that higher baseline fecal calprotectin, a noninvasive stool marker of gut inflammation, strongly predicted future flares even when patients were symptom-free—UC patients with elevated calprotectin faced about a 34% objective flare risk within 2 years vs ~11% with low levels. Habitual meat intake was linked to nearly double the risk of ulcerative colitis flares, while other dietary factors showed no consistent associations; there was no such meat-flare link for Crohn’s disease. The results point to a potential for biomarker- and diet‑guided, personalized IBD management, using stool tests plus dietary data to forecast relapses months ahead. However, the study is observational and cannot prove causation, and local validation may be needed before widespread adoption.