What is a faecal calprotectin test for?
Faecal calprotectin is a protein released during gut inflammation and is used as a key biomarker for monitoring inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Measuring calprotectin levels helps clinicians assess whether treatments are effective, detect potential flares before symptoms worsen and make timely decisions about patient care.
NICE and the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) recommend faecal calprotectin testing at least three times per year for IBD patients. Regular monitoring helps reduce the risk of unnecessary hospital admissions and supports proactive, patient-centred IBD care.
Can you test calprotectin at home?
Yes – SmarTest® is a clinically validated home calprotectin test designed for patients with IBD. Patients collect a small stool sample at home and use the free SmarTest app to scan and quantify the lateral flow test result, receiving an accurate calprotectin concentration in μg/g in under 20 minutes.
Results are automatically shared with the patient’s IBD clinical team via the SmarTest clinician portal, enabling remote monitoring and timely intervention without the patient needing to attend clinic.
How do I store my SmarTest Calprotectin Home test?
SmarTest can be stored at room temperature (+16 to +30°C) — no refrigeration or cold chain storage required. This makes it straightforward to distribute to patients and store across any NHS setting, unlike some competitor products which require refrigeration.
What is included in the SmarTest Calprotectin Home test kit?
Each SmarTest kit contains everything a patient needs to perform a home calprotectin test, including an instruction booklet, camera card, paper stool sample catcher, sample preparation tube and lateral flow test cassette. The free SmarTest app, available on iOS and Android, is required to scan and quantify the test result.
What devices can be used for SmarTest Calprotectin Home?
The SmarTest app is compatible with a broad range of Apple iOS and Android devices. Apple devices require iOS 15 or higher and Android devices require Android 6 or higher. A full list of supported smartphones is available on the Preventis website.
How accurate is SmarTest compared to a lab test?
SmarTest delivers quantitative faecal calprotectin results with accuracy comparable to laboratory analysis. Clinical data shows a sensitivity of 93.2% and specificity of 92.0% at 250 μg/g compared to the IDK® Calprotectin ELISA. A pilot study published in GUT journal (BSG Annual Meeting 2025) by University Hospital Southampton found no significant difference between home POC and lab calprotectin results, with turnaround times improving by an average of 9 days. SmarTest is IVDR compliant and clinically validated for home use.
What is the SmarTest clinician portal?
The SmarTest clinician portal is a free, secure online platform that allows IBD clinical teams to remotely monitor their patients’ calprotectin results. Every time a patient completes a SmarTest at home, their result is automatically uploaded to the portal, giving clinicians real-time visibility of disease activity without the patient needing to attend clinic.
The portal allows clinical teams to manage patients, review results and intervene when calprotectin levels indicate a potential flare. It can also be integrated directly into existing electronic health record (EHR) systems – University Hospital Southampton has fully integrated SmarTest results into their EHR via the My Medical Record (MyMR) platform.
How do I set up SmarTest in my IBD service?
Setting up SmarTest in your IBD service is straightforward. To get started, register at the Preventis Portal to create your Competence Centre – a secure hub where you can manage patients and view their calprotectin results remotely.
Once registered, patients can be enrolled by entering their details in the portal to generate a unique QR code or link. The patient scans the QR code using the free SmarTest app, connecting them directly to your service. Every result is then shared with your IBD team in real-time.
For services looking to integrate SmarTest results directly into their electronic health record (EHR) system, this is possible with additional setup. Our team can support you through this process.
A comprehensive collection of support materials is available including eLearning modules, how-to videos and quick guides. Access these at biohit-learning.net or speak to our team for further guidance.
How does SmarTest reduce admin burden for IBD teams?
Traditional calprotectin testing places a significant administrative burden on IBD teams. Coordinating sample collection, posting kits to patients, chasing sample returns and waiting 2-3 weeks for lab results all take time away from direct patient care.
SmarTest removes these manual steps from the process. Patients test at home and results are automatically uploaded to the clinician portal – no chasing, no postal logistics, no waiting. Clinical teams receive automatic notifications when results are ready, allowing them to focus their attention on patients who need intervention rather than managing the testing process itself.
For IBD services looking to implement patient initiated follow up (PIFU), SmarTest provides the objective calprotectin data clinicians need to support same-day decision making – reducing unnecessary clinic appointments and freeing up clinical time.
