Background and Aim: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is emerging in the newly industrialized countries of South Asia, South-East Asia, and the Middle East, yet epidemiological data are scarce. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of IBD demographics, disease phenotype, and treatment across 38 centers in 15 countries of South Asia, South-East Asia, and Middle East. Intergroup comparisons included gross national income (GNI) per capita. Results: Among 10 400 patients, ulcerative colitis (UC) was twice as common as Crohn's disease (CD), with a male predominance (UC 6678, CD 3495, IBD unclassified 227, and 58% male). Peak age of onset was in the third decade, with a low proportion of elderly-onset IBD (5% age > 60). Familial IBD was rare (5%). The extent of UC was predominantly distal (proctitis/left sided 67%), with most being treated with mesalamine (94%), steroids (54%), or immunomodulators (31%). Ileocolic CD (43%) was the commonest, with low rates of perianal disease (8%) and only 6% smokers. Diagnostic delay for CD was common (median 12 months; interquartile range 5-30). Treatment of CD included mesalamine, steroids, and immunomodulators (61%, 51%, and 56%, respectively), but a fifth received empirical antitubercular therapy. Treatment with biologics was uncommon (4% UC and 13% CD), which increased in countries with higher GNI per capita. Surgery rates were 0.1 (UC) and 2 (CD) per 100 patients per year.

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Context Infection with Helicobacter pylori is associated with gastroduodenal diseases such as gastritis, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, gastric cancer, and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. Aim The aim of this study was to detect the nature of gastroduodenal pathology in the light of the genotype of the associated H. pylori organism. Materials and methods The study was conducted on 100 patients with upper gastrointestinal tract symptoms; infection with H. pylori was detected by stool antigen test. Moreover, 20 asymptomatic patients, infected with H. pylori, were included in the study as controls. Upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy was performed in all participants to take biopsies to diagnose the disease microscopically and to determine H. pylori virulence factors [cytotoxin-associated protein A (CagA) and VacA] by PCR. Results Patients infected by H. pylori organisms having CagA-positive genes (41 patients) developed gastritis in 53.7%, peptic ulcer disease (PUD) in 36.6%, and gastric malignancy in 9.8%. Patients infected with organisms that have VacA s1 in addition to CagA genes (19 patients) were found to have gastritis in 21.1%, PUD in 63.2%, and gastric malignancy in 15.8%. However, patients infected with H. pylori organism that have VacAs2 in addition to CagA genes (34 patients) developed gastritis in 79.4%, PUD in 20.6%, and no malignancy. Discussion The presence of VacA s1 gene in addition to CagA significantly increases the virulence of the organism toward development of PUD and gastric malignancy. The presence of VacA s2 gene significantly decreases the virulence of CagA gene to develop PUD and prevent completely its carcinogenicity.

Ulcerative colitis is one of the IBDs. Its etiology and pathogenesis remain undefined with an interaction between environmental, genetic and immunological factors is the most accepted explanation. Several recent studies have examined microRNA expression in the peripheral blood and tissues from IBD patients. The study aims at assessing the expression of serum miR-16 in ulcerative colitis patients and its correlation with disease extent, activity and severity. It included 30 treatment naїve ulcerative colitis patients of different presentations. Serum miR-16 expression was assessed using reverse transcriptase quantitative real time PCR (RT-qPCR), and then correlated with that of a group of 20 healthy subjects to assess its role in diagnosis of ulcerative colitis. Also, it was correlated with disease extent (proctitis, left sided colitis, extensive colitis) and disease activity and severity indices (Truelove and Witts criteria, fecal calprotectin and UCEIS). Thirty ulcerative colitis patients were enrolled, 53% had mild, 37% had moderate, while 10% had severe disease. Concerning endoscopic extent, 8 had proctitis, 14 had left sided colitis and 8 had extensive colitis. Serum expression of miR-16 in the 30 patients were compared to that of the healthy control subjects. The patients’ group showed median serum miR-16 expression of 1.91, 1.13 for the control group with a significant difference between both groups. Correlation between serum miR-16 expression with disease extent, activity and severity showed no significant relation. From the current study we can conclude that increased serum expression of miR-16 is associated with ulcerative colitis despite no significant relation to disease activity extent or severity.

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