1.   Perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies have recently been demonstrated in the seaa of patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

2.   The clinical significance of perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody positive and negative subsets in both groups of patients thus remains unexplained.

3.   Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies are used in diagnosing vasculitic diseases.

4.   Also in patients with inflammatory bowel disease antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies have been detected.

5.   The fluorescence pattern of inflammatory bowel disease associated antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies is characteristically perinuclear.

6.   In the present study we have determined the sensitivity and specificity of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies as measured either by immunofluorescence or fixed neutrophil ELISA tests.