External validation of the SHAPE score and its comparison to the Oakland score for the prediction of safe discharge in patients with lower gastrointestinal bleeding.

Background: The growing incidence of lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB) is leading to a rise in-hospital admissions even though most LGIB episodes are self-limiting. The Oakland and SHAPE scores were designed to identify patients best suited to outpatient care. Our aim is explore the validity of the SHAPE score and compare both of these scores in terms of predictiveness of safe discharge.

Incidence of herpes zoster in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: Herpes zoster (HZ) is a prevalent disease caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and associated with chronic morbidity, particularly with post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been associated with an increased risk of HZ, mainly when immunosuppressive treatment (IMT) is used. However, studies assessing the risk of HZ in IBD are scarce.