SUMMARY BackgroundInflammatory bowel diseases are chronic conditions requiring medication throughout life to treat the disease and control the risk of relapse and colorectal cancer. Adherence to prescribed drugs is therefore crucial to their management.

Fecal calprotectin and lactoferrin appear to be equally recommendable as inflammatory disease markers in patients with lower gastrointestinal symptoms. Both tests are needed to accurately discriminate activity in inflammatory bowel disease patients.

SUMMARY BackgroundAbnormal barrier function may be genetically determined in Crohn's disease.

SUMMARY BackgroundCyclic administration of rifaximin in association with dietary fibre achieves symptomatic relief in uncomplicated diverticular disease (DD) by means of a still undefined mechanism.

Our results suggest a potentially protective role of legumes and potato and a detrimental influence of meat in maintaining clinical remission in IBD patients. These findings have important public health implications, but further interventional studies will be needed to demonstrate these associations.