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BenedictDevereaux is a consultant and member on advisory board for Boston Scientific. Milan Bassan is a consultant for Boston Scientific. Payal Saxena is a consultant for Boston Scientific. Thawee Ratanachu-EK is a proctor for Boston Scientific. All other authors have no relevant conflicts of interest to disclose. Financial support: There were no sources of financial grants or other funding for this study.

INTRODUCTION: Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder where intestinal immunopathology arises after gluten consumption. Previous studies suggested that hookworm infection restores gluten tolerance; however, these studies were small (n = 12) and not placebo controlled. METHODS: We undertook a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of hookworm infection in 54 people with celiac disease. The 94-week study involved treatment with either 20 or 40 Necator americanus third-stage larvae (L3-20 or L3-40) or placebo, followed by escalating gluten consumption (50 mg/d for 12 weeks, 1 g intermittent twice weekly for 12 weeks, 2 g/d sustained for 6 weeks, liberal diet for 1 year). RESULTS: Successful study completion rates at week 42 (primary outcome) were similar in each group (placebo: 57%, L3-20: 37%, and L3-40: 44%; P = 0.61), however gluten-related adverse events were significantly reduced in hookworm-treated participants: Median (range) adverse events/participant were as follows: placebo, 4 (1–9); L3-20, 1 (0–9); and L3-40, 0 (0–3) (P = 0.019). Duodenal villous height:crypt depth deteriorated similarly compared with their enrolment values in each group (mean change [95% confidence interval]: placebo, −0.6 [−1.3 to 0.2]; L3-20, −0.5 [−0.8 to 0.2]; and L3-40, −1.1 [−1.8 to 0.4]; P = 0.12). A retrospective analysis revealed that 9 of the 40 L3-treated participants failed to establish hookworm infections. Although week 42 completion rates were similar in hookworm-positive vs hookworm-negative participants (48% vs 44%, P = 0.43), quality of life symptom scores were lower in hookworm-positive participants after intermittent gluten challenge (mean [95% confidence interval]: 38.9 [33.9–44] vs 45.9 [39.2–52.6]). DISCUSSION: Hookworm infection does not restore tolerance to sustained moderate consumption of gluten (2 g/d) but was associated with improved symptom scores after intermittent consumption of lower, intermittent gluten doses.

The incidence of Mc gammopathies (2.41 per 1000 donors) did not significantly increase from 2004 to 2012. Older donors had a higher incidence of Mc gammopathies and longer donation periods than their healthy counterparts. Overall, gammopathy rates were below those reported over the same age range in the general population.

Bilioenteric fistulae are a rare complication and can pose a diagnostic challenge owing to non-specific symptomology. When occurring with an aortoenteric fistula, it represents a rare and potentially life-threatening disease state. We present the case of a 77-year-old gentleman initially treated as presumed ascending cholangitis. This was complicated by upper gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to an aortoenteric fistula and cholecystoduodenal fistula.