[Esophageal perforation following a biopsy in a patient with eosinophilic esophagitis].

Eosinophilic esophagitis is an underdiagnosed disease that should be suspected in all patients with dysphagia and food impaction. Although these are the leading symptoms, the clinical and endoscopic spectrum is highly varied. Clinicians should be aware of the risk of endoscopy-related complications in this disorder.

Can systemic cytokines predict relapse of inflammatory bowel disease?

Background/aims: To determine the value of systemic cytokines as predictors of relapse in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methodology: A prospective study with 135 patients in clinical remission for at least 3 months. At enrollment, a venous blood was drawn in order to measure, by an ELISA test, the following cytokines: TNFalpha, TNFalpha-R1 and R2, IL-16, IL-1beta, IL 2, IL-R2, IL-6, IL-10, and IFNgamma.