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Aim To report a series of 17 children affected by eosinophilic oesophagitis. Six of them also received a diagnosis of coeliac disease. Methods Seventeen children with history of dyspeptic symptoms were investigated. Results Six patients (M/F:2/4; mean age ± s.d.: 5.6 ± 1.3 years, range: 4–7 years; Group A) affected by eosinophilic oesophagitis also received a diagnosis of coeliac disease. The other 11 children (M/F:10/1, mean age ± s.d.:7.5 ± 2.3 years, range: 4–10 years, Group B) were affected solely by eosinophilic oesophagitis. All children underwent a change in dietary regimen. Group A received a gluten-free diet. Group B attempted dietary restriction based on the allergy testing results. After 6 months follow-up, all patients in Group A showed a complete disappearance of symptoms and three of them, who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, showed histologic remission. Patients from Group B had moderate clinical improvement and in seven of them (64%) a repeated upper gastrointestinal endoscopy showed a statistically significant reduction in eosinophilic infiltration. Conclusions This is the first reported group of patients with an association between coeliac disease and eosinophilic oesophagitis. To date, it is not possible to exclude that in a subgroup of children with coeliac disease the oesophageal eosinophilic infiltration could be caused by coeliac disease itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To determine if small bowel involvement at diagnosis could predict early relapse in children with ulcerative colitis. Methods Children with newly diagnosed ulcerative colitis were evaluated prospectively at three time points: within 1 month, 6 months and 1 year after diagnosis. Clinical activity indices were used to measure disease activity. Laboratory studies were performed at each visit and/or at the time of relapse. At diagnosis, all patients underwent colonoscopy and a cellobiose/mannitol small intestinal permeability study. Some children were further investigated with an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy . Results Thirty-three patients completed the 1-year study. Overall, nine patients (27.3%) relapsed within 6 months of diagnosis, one patient (3%) within 1 year, whereas 23 patients (69.7%) did not relapse. The mean clinical activity indices, laboratory parameters, extent of colonic involvement, upper and lower gastrointestinal histological features were not predictive of early relapse. Results of the cellobiose/mannitol small intestinal permeability study were significantly higher in children who relapsed within 6 months compared with children who did not relapse ( P < 0.013). The cellobiose/mannitol small intestinal permeability study was abnormal in 77.8% of early relapsers compared with only 8.3% of non-relapsers. Conclusion Abnormal small intestinal permeability in children with ulcerative colitis could predict a more relapsing disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]