Differences in inflammatory bowel disease phenotype between South Asians and Northern Europeans living in North West London, UK.

Objectives: The incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is increasing throughout Asia. Since the 1950s, there has been substantial migration from South Asia (India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh) to the United Kingdom. The aim of this study was to define the clinical phenotype of IBD in UK South Asians living in North West London, and to compare the results with a white Northern European IBD cohort.

Cytomegalovirus ileitis associated with goblet cell carcinoid tumour of the appendix.

We report a female patient with cytomegalovirus (CMV) terminal ileitis and CMV viraemia, associated with a metastatic goblet cell carcinoid (GCC) tumour of the appendix. She was treated with ileocaecal resection followed by ganciclovir. We highlight the importance of vigilant histopathological assessment and discuss the existing literature on gastrointestinal CMV infection in immunocompetent patients.

Anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies in coeliac disease are not a response to gut damage alone.

Background: Anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTG) antibody is being used increasingly as a diagnostic tool in the serological investigation of coeliac disease. However, positive predictive values of immunoglobulin A anti-tTG for coeliac disease in prospective studies have been disappointing.

Objective: To determine whether anti-tTG can arise as a non-specific consequence of abnormal gut permeability.

Is immunoglobulin A anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody a reliable serological marker of coeliac disease?

Background: Anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTG) antibody is being used increasingly as a diagnostic tool in the serological investigation of coeliac disease. However, positive predictive values of immunoglobulin A (IgA) anti-tTG for coeliac disease in prospective studies have been disappointing and false-positive results are reported.

Objective: To assess the clinical utility of cascade testing for anti-tTG and anti-endomysium antibody (AEA).