Clinical utility and diagnostic accuracy of faecal calprotectin for IBD at first presentation to gastroenterology services in adults aged 16-50 years.

Background: Distinguishing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) from functional gastrointestinal (GI) disease remains an important issue for gastroenterologists and primary care physicians, and may be difficult on the basis of symptoms alone. Faecal calprotectin (FC) is a surrogate marker for intestinal inflammation but not cancer.

Aim: This large retrospective study aimed to determine the most effective use of FC in patients aged 16-50 presenting with GI symptoms.

The diagnostic accuracy of fecal calprotectin during the investigation of suspected pediatric inflammatory bowel disease.

Objectives: Fecal calprotectin (FC) is elevated in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Studies evaluating FC during the initial investigation of children with suspected IBD have been limited, especially with regard to their small patient groups. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of FC in a large regional cohort of children undergoing full upper and lower endoscopy for suspected IBD, comparing FC with six common blood parameters.

An evaluation of the use of serum 7-alpha-hydroxycholestenone as a diagnostic test of bile acid malabsorption causing watery diarrhea.

Background: Bile acid malabsorption (BAM) is a recognized cause of watery diarrhea, often diagnosed empirically based on clinical response to cholestyramine. The radionuclide selenium-labelled homocholic acid-taurine whole body retention test is expensive, labour intensive and of limited availability.

Objective: To report on the clinical performance of serum 7-alphahydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one (7HCO) as a test of BAM in adult patients with unexplained diarrhea.

Is portal hypertension associated with protein-losing enteropathy?

Background And Aim: Hypoalbuminemia in patients with decompensated cirrhosis has traditionally been assumed to be a result of to impaired liver synthesis; however, protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) may also contribute. The aim of this study was to assess whether hypoalbuminemic cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension had evidence of PLE.

Methods: Sixteen patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, hypoalbuminemia and portal hypertension underwent whole gut lavage with polyethylene glycol solution.

Gut mucosal immunity to tissue transglutaminase in untreated celiac disease and other gastrointestinal disorders.

Tissue transglutaminase antibodies have not previously been measured in gut secretions. IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase and anti-endomysium antibodies were measured in paired serum and whole gut lavage fluid samples from patients with untreated celiac disease (N = 36), other gastrointestinal diseases (N = 235), and healthy volunteers (N = 13). HLA DQ2 typing was performed in the celiac patients.