The Oslo definitions for coeliac disease and related terms

Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity: A Review

Background and objectives: Grain food consumption is a trigger of gluten related disorders: celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) and wheat allergy. They demonstrate with non-specific symptoms: bloating, abdominal discomfort, diarrhea and flatulence. Aim: The aim of the review is to summarize data about pathogenesis, symptoms and criteria of NCGS, which can be helpful for physicians. Materials and Methods: The PubMed and Google Scholar databases were searched in January 2019 with phrases: 'non-celiac gluten sensitivity', non-celiac gluten sensitivity', non-celiac wheat gluten sensitivity', non-celiac wheat gluten sensitivity', and gluten sensitivity'. More than 1000 results were found. A total of 67 clinical trials published between 1989 and 2019 was scanned. After skimming abstracts, 66 articles were chosen for this review; including 26 clinical trials. Results: In 2015, Salerno Experts' Criteria of NCGS were published. The Salerno first step is assessing the clinical response to gluten free diet (GFD) and second is measuring the effect of reintroducing gluten after a period of treatment with GFD. Several clinical trials were based on the criteria. Conclusions: Symptoms of NCGS are similar to other gluten-related diseases, irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn's disease. With Salerno Experts' Criteria of NCGS, it is possible to diagnose patients properly and give them advice about nutritional treatment.

Novel Nondietary Therapies for Celiac Disease

Celiac Disease (CeD) is defined as a chronic small intestinal immune-mediated enteropathy that is precipitated by exposure to dietary gluten in genetically predisposed individuals. CeD is one of the most common autoimmune disorders affecting around 1% of the population worldwide. Currently, the only acceptable treatment for CeD is strict, lifelong adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD) which can often present a challenging task. A GFD alone is not sufficient to control symptoms and prevent mucosal damage that can result from unintentional gluten exposure. Moreover, long-term complications can occur in many patients. Consequently, there is an unmet need for non-dietary therapies for the management of CeD. Such therapies could serve as an adjunct to the GFD but eventually may replace it. This review will focus on and discuss non-dietary therapies currently in clinical development for the management of CeD. METHODOLOGY: We searched clinicaltrials.gov and PubMed to extract articles about celiac disease. We used keywords including, but not limited to, "celiac disease," "non-dietary," "therapeutics," "pathophysiology," "Endopeptidases," "tight junction modulators," "vaccine," and "Nexvax2". We focused mainly on articles that conducted pathophysiologic and therapeutic research in human trials.

Compliance with gluten-free diet in a selected group of celiac children in the Slovak Republic

OBJECTIVE

Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic long-term disease with autoimmune disorder connected to an allergic reaction to the molecule of gluten. CD is manifested in persons who are genetically predisposed. The only therapy for CD is a strong gluten-free (GF) diet. The aim of our study was to follow the adherence to the gluten-free diet in the selected group of parents and caregivers of children with CD, and to compare factors influencing the adherence to GF diet and therefore influencing also clinical symptoms of CD. We compared and examined important food-related activities as well, by using a personal questionnaire in the group of CD children's parents or caregivers.

METHODS

We designed a cross-sectional study; 325 parents or caregivers of children with CD were recruited in the sample. CD was confirmed by the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) criteria. The anonymous questionnaires were collected at summer camps within period data 2012-2016 and followed factors which might have an influence on compliance with GF diet, according to parents' opinions.

RESULTS

Adherence to GF diet was statistically significantly higher among girls compared to boys. Parents' questionnaires confirmed that younger group of children and children with the family history of CD had statistically higher compliance with GF diet. Parents with higher education confirmed better adherence to GF diet, statistical analyses confirmed higher adherence in mother´s education compared to father's education. Duration of CD, socio-demographic factors of parents - age of parent, gender of parent, and residency were not statistically significant in terms of compliance with the diet.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study confirmed important factors influencing adherence to the GF diet, which are connected to the symptoms and consequences of CD. The assessment of parents' opinions and burden on the families of children with celiac disease should be also reflected in the evaluation of patient's status. Important is also the role of parents in order to facilitate and support clinical interventions and prevention of CD.

A Scoring System for Identifying Patients Likely to Be Diagnosed with Low-Grade Coeliac Enteropathy

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Determining whether patients with lymphocytic enteritis (LE) have coeliac disease is a challenge. We analysed the variables associated with a low-grade coeliac enteropathy diagnosis in patients with suspected coeliac disease but without villous atrophy, and developed a scoring system to identify them.

METHODS

We collected data from 2010 through to 2016 on patients with lymphocytic enteritis and persistent symptoms compatible with the clinical spectrum of coeliac disease. One hundred and four patients starting on a gluten-free diet (GFD) were included. Duodenal biopsies were collected before the GFD and analysed for numbers of CD3⁺ T-cell receptor gamma delta+ (TCRγδ⁺), and CD3^- intraepithelial lymphocytes. We performed a logistic regression analysis to identify factors associated with a low-grade coeliac enteropathy diagnosis.

RESULTS

Sixty-two patients achieved clinical remission after the GFD. Fifty of these 62 patients were diagnosed with low-grade coeliac enteropathy. Multivariate analysis identified the presence of >25% intraepithelial lymphocytosis, HLA-DQ2.5, positive serology, and increased numbers of TCRγδ⁺ cells with a low-grade coeliac enteropathy diagnosis. We developed a scoring system that identified patients with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.91. Scores of >10 had 86% sensitivity and 85% specificity.

CONCLUSION

We developed a scoring system that identifies patients likely to be diagnosed with low-grade coeliac enteropathy with an AUC value of 0.91.

Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder symptoms respond to gluten-free diet in patients with coeliac disease

Introduction: Patients with coeliac disease commonly report symptoms of 'brain fog'. The aim of this study was to assess self-reported symptoms of impaired concentration in coeliac disease before and after treatment with gluten-free diet, compared with healthy controls and patient controls. Methods: Patients with newly diagnosed coeliac disease were included consecutively from two out-patient clinics. The patients completed the questionnaires Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale v1.1 Symptoms Checklist (ASRS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) prior to start of a gluten-free diet and after at least 12 months on the diet. Patients with an established diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease served as patient controls (n = 36). Health care personnel at Oslo University Hospital served as healthy controls (n = 60) and filled out ASRS and HADS. Results: A total of 31 newly diagnosed coeliac patients were included in the study. Of these, 26 patients met for follow-up and repeated the questionnaires. Prior to treatment, patients with coeliac disease had significantly higher scores than healthy controls on both the ASRS (p = .0014) and HADS (p=.0004). After a gluten-free diet, their scores improved and were not significantly different from healthy controls. There were no significant differences between patients with coeliac disease prior to treatment and patient controls with inflammatory bowel disease. Conclusion: Prior to treatment, coeliac disease patients reported significantly more symptoms than healthy controls on ASRS and HADS. The differences disappeared after a minimum of 12 months on a gluten-free diet.

Gluten Vehicle and Placebo for Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity Assessment

Non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) is a syndrome characterized by gastrointestinal and extraintestinal manifestations triggered after gluten ingestion in the absence of celiac disease and wheat allergy. Because of the lack of biomarkers for NCGS diagnosis, the cornerstone for its assessment is a single- or double-blind placebo-controlled (DBPC) gluten challenge. However, there are some non-standardized points in the diagnostic approach proposed by the experts. This complicate comparisons among the results published by different research groups. The gluten vehicle and placebo must be indistinguishable from each other, which entails sensory and technological evaluations of the designed gluten vehicle and placebo products. At the moment, there is no standardized method for the preparation of the gluten vehicle and placebo for carrying out DBPC gluten challenges for NCGS assessment. This review focuses on the challenges that researchers have to face, either for the development of an accepted gluten vehicle and placebo or for identifying NCGS cases on the basis of DBPC gluten challenges.

Targeted proteomics to monitor the extraction efficiency and levels of barley α-amylase trypsin inhibitors that are implicated in non-coeliac gluten sensitivity

Plant defense protein α-amylase trypsin inhibitors (ATIs) have been proposed as one of the triggers of non-coeliac gluten sensitivity, however there have been no focused studies on their optimal extraction and quantitation from cereal grains. The efficiency of extraction is of utmost interest for the downstream detection and characterisation. In the present study, three extraction buffers and two modified protocols were investigated using LC-MRM-MS in order to examine their ability to efficiently and repeatably extract ATIs from selected barley cultivars. Initially, three extraction buffers IPA/DTT, urea and Tris-HCl were used to extract ATIs from two selected barley cultivars, Commander and Hindmarsh. The results obtained from the preliminary study showed that IPA/DTT and urea-based buffer extraction could yield ∼70% and ∼45% more ATIs, respectively than a buffer based on Tris-HCl extraction, with all methods showing high repeatability (CV < 15%). A multi-step protocol, employing IPA/DTT and urea improved the extraction efficiency in comparison to the single buffer extraction protocols (p<0.0001). When solutions from parallel extractions using IPA/DTT and urea were combined, the results were comparable (p = 0.99) with a sequential multi-step IPA/DTT-urea protocol. However, the repeatability of the combined process was compromised, as discerned by greater variation (CV>30%). The optimised sequential two-step extraction protocol was successfully used to extract and quantify ATIs from 12 barley cultivars. LC-MS analysis revealed that cv Yagan and cv Scope contain the higher levels (∼143% relative to the average barley ATI content), whereas cultivars Fleet (61%), Baudin (77%) and Commander (79%) contained the lowest levels. The libraries of ATIs identified and the quantitative methods described here provide a foundation for the future application of MS-based quantitative methodologies to detect and quantify ATIs in barley varieties and in food products.

Metabolic effects in patients with celiac disease, patients with nonceliac gluten sensitivity, and asymptomatic controls, after six months of a gluten-free diet

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

It is essential for patients with celiac disease (CD) to be on a gluten-free diet (GFD) but said diet has also been reported to increase the risk for metabolic syndrome. There is no evidence on the metabolic effects of a GFD in patients with nonceliac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) or in asymptomatic subjects. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the metabolic effects of a GFD over a 6-month period in patients with CD, patients with NCGS, and in asymptomatic controls (ACs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A prospective study was conducted that evaluated metabolic syndrome and its components of obesity, high blood pressure, hepatic steatosis, and hyperglycemia at the baseline and at 6 months.

RESULTS

A total of 66 subjects (22 CD, 22 NCGS, and 22 AC) were included in the study. At the baseline, 10% of the patients with CD presented with obesity, high blood pressure, hepatic steatosis, and metabolic syndrome. After 6 months, obesity and metabolic syndrome increased by 20% (p=0.125). In the patients with NCGS, obesity increased by 5% after the GFD and 20% of those patients presented with de novo hepatic steatosis. The prevalence of obesity decreased by 10% in the controls after the GFD (30 vs 20%, p=0.5) and none of the other components of metabolic syndrome were affected.

CONCLUSIONS

The metabolic benefits and risks of a GFD should be considered when prescribing said diet in the different populations that opt for that type of intervention.

A Prospective Study on Cognitive Impairment in Middle-aged Adults With Newly Diagnosed Celiac Disease

AIMS

Our objectives were to: (1) determine whether celiac disease (CD) patients have cognitive impairment at diagnosis; and (2) compare their cognitive performance with nonceliac subjects who have similar chronic symptoms and healthy controls.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fifty adults (age range: 18 to 50 y) with symptoms and signs compatible with CD were enrolled in a prospective cohort irrespective of the final diagnosis. At baseline, all individuals underwent cognitive functional and psychological evaluation. CD patients were compared with subjects in whom CD was ruled out and with healthy controls matched by sex, age, and years of schooling.

RESULTS

Thirty-three subjects (66%) were diagnosed with CD. Compared with the healthy controls (n=26), CD cases and disease controls (n=17; mostly irritable bowel syndrome) had impaired cognitive performance (P=0.02 and P=0.04, respectively), functional impairment (P<0.01), and higher depression (P<0.01). CD patients had similar cognitive performance and anxiety, but nonsignificant lower depression scores compared with disease controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Abnormal cognitive functions detected in newly diagnosed CD adult patients seem not to be disease specific. Our results suggest that cognitive dysfunction could be related to the presence of prolonged symptoms due to a chronic disease.

Potential use of MCR-ALS for the identification of coeliac-related biochemical changes in hyperspectral Raman maps from pediatric intestinal biopsies

Raman hyperspectral imaging is an emerging practice in biological and biomedical research for label free analysis of tissues and cells. Using this method, both spatial distribution and spectral information of analyzed samples can be obtained. The current study reports the first Raman microspectroscopic characterisation of colon tissues from patients with Coeliac Disease (CD). The aim was to assess if Raman imaging coupled with hyperspectral multivariate image analysis is capable of detecting the alterations in the biochemical composition of intestinal tissues associated with CD. The analytical approach was based on a multi-step methodology: duodenal biopsies from healthy and coeliac patients were measured and processed with Multivariate Curve Resolution Alternating Least Squares (MCR-ALS). Based on the distribution maps and the pure spectra of the image constituents obtained from MCR-ALS, interesting biochemical differences between healthy and coeliac patients has been derived. Noticeably, a reduced distribution of complex lipids in the pericryptic space, and a different distribution and abundance of proteins rich in beta-sheet structures was found in CD patients. The output of the MCR-ALS analysis was then used as a starting point for two clustering algorithms (k-means clustering and hierarchical clustering methods). Both methods converged with similar results providing precise segmentation over multiple Raman images of studied tissues.

Coeliac disease and obstetric and gynaecological disorders: where are we now?

Coeliac disease (CD) is a chronic gluten-dependent enteropathy very common in the general population and characterized by an extremely heterogeneous clinical picture. Although its prevalence is growing worldwide, case-finding strategy remains the mainstay to diagnosis. Thus, correct identification of high-risk categories of patients who need to be tested for CD is an essential part of medical knowledge to a large number of specialists and primary care providers. In this regard, although CD might have a serious effect on women's reproductive health, a widespread consensus is lacking on which categories of obstetric and gynaecological disorders should be tested for CD. The aim of this review is to critically summarize the current literature relevant to CD and obstetric and gynaecological disorders and to provide practical proposals that may be helpful to clinicians involved in the management of these patients.

HLA-DQ2 homozygosis increases tTGA levels at diagnosis but does not influence the clinical phenotype of coeliac disease: A multicentre study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Magnitude of gluten-specific T-cell responses in coeliac disease (CD) might be dependent on HLA-DQ2 gene dose. We aimed to investigate the effects of HLA-DQB1*02 allele dose on clinical outcomes.

METHODS

We reviewed the charts of all coeliac patients attending to three Hungarian university clinics after 1997 and included those patients, who (a) were diagnosed with CD, (b) underwent high-resolution HLA typing and (c) were ≥18 years at the time of data collection. HLA typing was performed to determine DQB1*02 allele dose. Patients were divided into risk groups by DQB1*02 allele dose, as follows: high-, intermediate- and low-risk groups corresponded to a double, single and zero doses, respectively. We used ANOVA and Pearson's chi-squared test to explore association between HLA risk and clinical variables.

RESULTS

A total of 727 coeliac patients attended the clinics but only 105 (14.4%) patients were eligible for inclusion. High, intermediate and low HLA risk patients comprised 35.3%, 52.3% and 12.3% of the study population, respectively. Double dose of HLA-DQB1*02 was more frequent in patient with high tTGA level (>10 times the upper limit of normal; p = 0.045). Gene dose was not associated with younger age at diagnosis (p = 0.549), gender (p = 0.739), more severe diagnostic histology (p = 0.318), more frequent classical presentation (p = 0.846), anaemia (p = 0.611), metabolic bone disease (p = 0.374), dermatitis herpetiformis (p = 0.381) and autoimmune diseases (p = 0.837).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study shows a significant gene dose effect in terms of tTGA level at diagnosis, but no significant association between HLA-DQB1*02 allele dose and the clinical outcomes in CD.

Haemorheological and haemostatic alterations in coeliac disease and inflammatory bowel disease in comparison with non-coeliac, non-IBD subjects (HERMES): a case-control study protocol

INTRODUCTION

Haemorheological and haemostatic changes predispose to the development of arterial and venous thrombotic events; however, limited information is available on the status of these changes in coeliac disease (CeD) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In this study, we aim to describe the haemorheological and haemostatic profiles of CeD and IBD patients in a Hungarian cohort of patients to investigate whether any alterations contribute to elevated thrombotic risk.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This is a case-control study involving newly diagnosed and followed CeD and IBD patients with age-matched and sex-matched non-CeD, non-IBD subjects with an allocation ratio of 1:1:1.After informed consent is obtained, a detailed medical history will be collected, including venous and arterial thrombotic risk factors and medications. Symptoms in CeD patients will be assessed with the Gastrointestinal Symptoms Rating Scale, and disease activity in IBD patients will be determined by disease-specific scores. Dietary adherence will be assessed among CeD patients with a thorough interview together with a measurement of self-reported adherence, dietary knowledge and urine analysis (detection of gluten immunogenic peptides). In addition to routine laboratory parameters, haemorheological (ie, erythrocyte deformability and aggregation, viscosity of whole blood and plasma) and haemostatic parameters (eg, protein C, protein S and antithrombin) with immunological indicators (ie, coeliac-specific serology and antiphospholipid antibodies) will be measured from venous blood for every participant.Primary and secondary outcomes will be haemorheological and haemostatic parameters, respectively. Univariate and multivariate statistics will be used to compare CeD and IBD patients to control subjects. Subgroup analysis will be performed by disease type in IBD, (Crohn's disease and ulcerose colitis), dietary adherence in CeD, and disease activity in IBD and CeD.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study was approved by the Regional and Local Research Ethics Committee, University of Pécs (Ref. No. 6917). Findings will be disseminated at research conferences and in peer-reviewed journals.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ISRCTN49677481.

Duodenal bacterial proteolytic activity determines sensitivity to dietary antigen through protease-activated receptor-2

Microbe-host interactions are generally homeostatic, but when dysfunctional, they can incite food sensitivities and chronic diseases. Celiac disease (CeD) is a food sensitivity characterized by a breakdown of oral tolerance to gluten proteins in genetically predisposed individuals, although the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Here we show that duodenal biopsies from patients with active CeD have increased proteolytic activity against gluten substrates that correlates with increased Proteobacteria abundance, including Pseudomonas. Using Pseudomonas aeruginosa producing elastase as a model, we show gluten-independent, PAR-2 mediated upregulation of inflammatory pathways in C57BL/6 mice without villus blunting. In mice expressing CeD risk genes, P. aeruginosa elastase synergizes with gluten to induce more severe inflammation that is associated with moderate villus blunting. These results demonstrate that proteases expressed by opportunistic pathogens impact host immune responses that are relevant to the development of food sensitivities, independently of the trigger antigen.

Gluten triggers celiac disease in genetically predisposed individuals, but additional unknown mechanisms are required. Here, the authors show that proteases from Pseudomonas aeruginosa can modulate inflammatory pathways that are relevant to the development of food sensitivities, independently of the trigger antigen.

Extra-Intestinal Manifestations of Coeliac Disease in Children: Clinical Features and Mechanisms

Celiac disease (CD) is a systemic autoimmune disease due to a dysregulated mucosal immune response to gluten and related prolamines in genetically predisposed individuals. It is a common disorder affecting ~1% of the general population, its incidence is steadily increasing. Changes in the clinical presentation have become evident since the 80s with the recognition of extra-intestinal symptoms like short stature, iron deficiency anemia, altered bone metabolism, elevation of liver enzymes, neurological problems. Recent studies have shown that the overall prevalence of extra-intestinal manifestations is similar between pediatric and adult population; however, the prevalence of specific manifestations and rate of improvement differ in the two age groups. For instance, clinical response in children occurs much faster than in adults. Moreover, an early diagnosis is decisive for a better prognosis. The pathogenesis of extra-intestinal manifestations has not been fully elucidated yet. Two main mechanisms have been advanced: the first related to the malabsorption consequent to mucosal damage, the latter associated with a sustained autoimmune response. Importantly, since extra-intestinal manifestations dominate the clinical presentation of over half of patients, a careful case-finding strategy, together with a more liberal use of serological tools, is crucial to improve the detection rate of CD.

The roles of autonomous motivation and self-control lapses in concurrent adherence to a gluten-free diet and a self-chosen weight loss plan in adults with coeliac disease

Objective: Examine the correspondence between autonomous motivation, self-control lapses, and adherence, to a gluten-free diet (GFD) and weight loss plan in adults with coeliac disease; and assess the impact of the interaction of motivation style and self-control lapses on adherence to both diets. Design: Cross-sectional survey in 519 adults with coeliac disease, 238 of whom were also attempting weight loss. Main outcome measures: Adherence, motivation style, frequency of temptation and self-control lapses (e.g. when tired, stressed, happy) for GFD and weight loss plan. Results: Autonomous motivation was higher, and amotivation lower, for the GFD than weight loss; adherence to the two diets was unrelated. Similar circumstances led to temptation and self-control lapses across diets; both were less frequent for the GFD than weight loss. Motivation and self-control lapses explained 21% and 35% of the variance in adherence, respectively; the interaction between motivation and lapse frequency did not explain additional variance for either diet. Conclusions: There are clear benefits to developing autonomous motivations and strategies to resist temptation for both the GFD and weight loss. Understanding how these processes differ and interact across diets may lead to the design of interventions to improve adherence and weight outcomes in coeliac disease.

Celiac Disease: Clinical Features and Diagnosis

The presentation in celiac disease is shifting from the classical malabsorptive presentation to more nonclassical presentations, requiring clinicians to maintain a high level of suspicion for the disease and to be aware of the possible extraintestinal manifestations. The diagnosis of celiac disease is guided by initial screening with serology, followed by confirmation with an upper endoscopy and small intestinal biopsy. In some pediatric cases, biopsy may be avoided.

Epidemiology of Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is a common, chronic inflammatory disorder of the small intestine triggered by exposure to gluten in individuals with certain genetic types. This disorder affects people of any age or gender. Although often thought to be European in origin, it is now global in extent. Presentations are variable, from asymptomatic patients to severe malnutrition. Initial detection usually relies on celiac-specific serology, and confirmation often requires intestinal biopsy. There have been substantial increases in prevalence and incidence over the last 2 decades for reasons that are almost certainly environmental but for which there is no clarity as to cause.

Management of celiac disease in daily clinical practice

Celiac disease (CD) is the most common autoimmune enteropathy worldwide. In CD, dietary gluten triggers a T cell driven small intestinal inflammation in a subset of genetically predisposed subjects, expressing the HLA DQ2 and/or DQ8 genes on their antigen presenting cells. HLA DQ2/DQ8 can bind gluten peptides after their prior modification by the CD autoantigen, tissue transglutaminase (TG2). This process leads to the activation of gluten reactive T cells, small bowel villous atrophy, crypt hyperplasia and intraepithelial lymphocytosis, the histological hallmarks of CD. The clinical picture of CD is extremely heterogeneous including intestinal (especially diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating) and extraintestinal (especially associated autoimmune diseases, anemia, osteoporosis) manifestations. The prevalence of CD in most parts of the world is estimated at 1:100-1:150 and its diagnosis is based on the presence of circulating autoantibodies (anti-TG2) and the histological detection of villous atrophy. Treatment is a lifelong gluten free diet but adjunctive therapies are in development. Although CD is a well-characterized disease, it is grossly underdiagnosed, despite the severe consequences of long-term gluten ingestion in CD, such as enhanced autoimmunity, refractory CD and intestinal T cell lymphoma. The aim of the presented review is to provide a clinical guide and to summarize the most recent clinical progress in CD research.

Beneficial effects of gluten free diet on IgA tissue transglutaminase levels and various growth parameters in celiac disease patients

Context:

In the resource poor country like India it is difficult to get HLA screening and EMA testing in patients with celiac disease in small centres.

Aims:

To study the effect of gluten free diet on IgA tissue transglutaminase levels and various growth parameters in patients with celiac disease.

Settings and Design:

This was a prospective study conducted in the department of paediatrics of a tertiary referral hospital in north India in 3 stages viz. on presentation, after 3 months and 6 months of initial presentation.

Materials and Methods:

392 patients with symptoms suggestive of celiac disease were screened for IgA tTG levels more than 10 folds of upper limit of normal. 50 cases (who followed up for 6 months regularly) were enrolled in the study. Spectrum of various growth and clinical parameters were also studied. Statistical analysis used: Statistical analysis was performed by the SPSS version 20.0. Data were checked for normality before statistical analysis. p value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results:

50 cases were enrolled in study. After initiation of gluten free diet, improvements were seen in various growth factors like height (12.71%) and weight (3.47 cm) after 6 months. Serum tTG(IgA) levels decreased to 94.88±55.35 U/mL from baseline level of 202±83.96 U/mL after 6 months.

Conclusions:

Gluten free diet has major role in improvement in growth parameters as well as anemia. So, early detection of celiac disease is an important step in prevention of morbidity associated with this chronic disease.

Helicobacter pylori prevalence and risk factors among children with celiac disease

BACKGROUND/AIMS

The relationship between Helicobacter pylori and celiac disease (CD) remains controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and risk factors for H. pylori infection among children diagnosed with CD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study included 70 patients diagnosed with CD at a tertiary referral center in Romania. Age, gender, and indicators of environmental conditions were evaluated via interviews with the children's caretakers. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the independent predictors for H. pylori infection.

RESULTS

Of the 70 patients, 37 (52.9%) were females, and the mean age was 4.04±3.26 years. H. pylori infection was diagnosed in 23 (32.8%) patients, of whom 12 (52.1%) were females, and the mean age was 6.2±4.5 years. Of the total number of children with CD and H. pylori infection, 18 (78.2%) had milder forms of enteropathy (Marsh I-II), whereas the remaining 5 (21.7%) had villous atrophy compared to the other 47 (67.2%) patients who were negative for H. pylori-infection and showed more severe intestinal damage. The development of H. pylori infection was independently related to children with one parent only [odd ratio (OR), 9.04; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.29-62.89; p<0.001], living in houses without sanitary facilities (OR, 3.88; 95% CI, 1.27-14.22; p=0.016), belonging to low-income families (OR, 8.52; 95% CI, 2.52-71.39; p=0.002), and of parents with a prior history of gastritis (OR, 2.68; 95% CI, 1.49-14.50; p=0.004).

CONCLUSION

Children with CD and H. pylori infection had milder forms of enteropathy compared to children who are negative for H. pylori, suggesting that H. pylori infection may confer some protection against the development of severe degrees of villous atrophy.

The Phenotype of Celiac Disease Has Low Concordance between Siblings, Despite a Similar Distribution of HLA Haplotypes

The factors determining the presentation of celiac disease are unclear. We investigated the phenotypic concordance and the distribution of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) risk haplotypes in affected siblings. One hundred sibling pairs were included. Clinical and histological parameters and HLA haplotypes were compared between the first diagnosed indexes and their siblings. The phenotype was categorized into gastrointestinal, extra-intestinal, malabsorption/anemia, and asymptomatic. The phenotype was fully concordant in 21 pairs. The most common concordant phenotype was gastrointestinal (14 pairs). Indexes had more anemia/malabsorption and extra-intestinal symptoms than siblings (45% vs. 20%, p < 0.001 and 33% vs. 12%, p < 0.001, respectively). Twenty siblings and none of the indexes were asymptomatic. The indexes were more often women (81% vs. 63%, p = 0.008). They were also more often seronegative (11% vs. 0%, p = 0.03) and younger (37 vs. 43 year, p < 0.001), and had more severe histopathology (total/subtotal atrophy 79% vs. 58%, p = 0.047) at diagnosis. The indexes and siblings were comparable in other disease features. Pairs with discordant presentation had similar HLA haplotypes more often than the concordant pairs. The phenotype was observed to vary markedly between siblings, with the indexes generally having a more severe presentation. HLA did not explain the differences, suggesting that non-HLA genes and environmental factors play significant roles.

Classical celiac disease is more frequent with a double dose of HLA-DQB1*02: A systematic review with meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Experimental data suggest that the HLA-DQ2 gene dose has a strong quantitative effect on clinical outcomes and severity of celiac disease (CD). We aimed to conduct a meta-analysis with systematic review to investigate the association between HLA-DQB1*02 gene doses and the characteristics of CD.

METHODS

We searched seven medical databases for studies discussing HLA-DQB1 gene dose in CD and various disease characteristics, such as clinical presentation, histology, age at diagnosis, and comorbidities. Odds ratios (OR, for categorical variables) and weighted mean differences (for age) were calculated to compare patients with a double dose of HLA-DQB1*02 versus those with single and zero doses. Heterogeneity was tested with I2-statistics and explored by study subgroups (children and adults).

RESULTS

Twenty-four publications were eligible for meta-analysis. Classical CD was more frequent with a double versus single dose of the HLA-DQB1*02 allele (OR = 1.758, 95%CI: 1.148-2.692, I2 = 0.0%). In pediatric studies, gene dose effect was more prominent (OR = 2.082, 95%CI: 1.189-3.646, I2 = 0.0% and OR = 3.139, 95%CI: 1.142-8.630, I2 = 0.0% for the comparisons of double versus single and double versus zero dose, respectively). Atrophic histology was more prevalent with a double versus zero dose (OR = 2.626, CI: 1.060-6.505, I2 = 21.3%). We observed no gene dose effect regarding diarrhea, age at diagnosis, the severity of villous atrophy, and the association with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

CONCLUSION

A double dose of HLA-DQB1*02 gene seems to predispose patients to developing classical CD and villous atrophy. Risk stratification by HLA-DQB1*02 gene dose requires further clarification due to the limited available evidence.

Neurological Manifestations of Neuropathy and Ataxia in Celiac Disease: A Systematic Review

Celiac disease (CD) is an immune-mediated gastrointestinal disorder driven by innate and adaptive immune responses to gluten. Patients with CD are at an increased risk of several neurological manifestations, frequently peripheral neuropathy and gluten ataxia. A systematic literature review of the most commonly reported neurological manifestations (neuropathy and ataxia) associated with CD was performed. MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and conference proceedings were systematically searched from January 2007 through September 2018. Included studies evaluated patients with CD with at least one neurological manifestation of interest and reported prevalence, and/or incidence, and/or clinical outcomes. Sixteen studies were included describing the risk of gluten neuropathy and/or gluten ataxia in patients with CD. Gluten neuropathy was a neurological manifestation in CD (up to 39%) in 13 studies. Nine studies reported a lower risk and/or prevalence of gluten ataxia with a range of 0%⁻6%. Adherence to a gluten-free diet appeared to improve symptoms of both neuropathy and ataxia. The prevalence of gluten neuropathy and gluten ataxia in patients with CD varied in reported studies, but the increased risk supports the need for physicians to consider CD in patients with ataxia and neurological manifestations of unknown etiology.

A case of celiac disease presenting with celiac crisis: rare and life threatening presentation

A 20 year old male with past medical history of Type 1 Diabetes and Hypothyroidism presented to our hospital with severe hypocalcemia. His calcium was 5.8 mg/dl (normal range 8.6–10.3 mg/dl). He had been complaining of generalized weakness for weeks. Vital signs were within normal limits. Physical exam was significant for positive Chvostek sign. Other labs revealed low magnesium, low potassium, low vitamin D, low albumin, metabolic acidosis and low ferritin. He was started on supplements. Tissue transglutaminase antibody IgG was elevated. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy showed scalloped and blunted duodenal mucosa. Duodenal biopsy showed villous blunting with intraepithelial lymphocytosis suggestive of celiac disease. He was started on gluten free diet. His symptoms improved and he was discharged home. Celiac disease can present in fulminant form with hemodynamic instability and is called celiac crisis. Celiac crisis is usually manifested by severe gastrointestinal manifestations, hypoproteinemia and metabolic and electrolyte disturbances requiring hospitalization. It is diagnosed by criteria proposed by Jamma et al. Celiac crisis is a rare presentation of celiac disease and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Most of the cases respond to gluten withdrawal and nutritional suport and few require steroids.

Abbreviation: Type 1 DM -Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Coeliac disease: beyond genetic susceptibility and gluten. A narrative review

Coeliac disease (CD) is an immune-mediated disorder triggered by the ingestion of gluten in genetically susceptible individuals. However, only a small proportion of subjects harbouring CD-related genetic risk develop the disease. Among the environmental factors that may influence CD risk, pre- and perinatal factors, delivery methods, parental lifestyle, infant feeding practices, seasonality, dietary factors, drug use, childhood infections and variability in gut microbiota are those most widely studied regarding the risk to develop CD. Although for many of these external factors the exact mechanism of action is unknown, most of them are thought to act by disrupting the intestinal barrier, facilitating contact between potential antigens and the immune system effector cells. Management of CD is relatively easy in patients with a definite diagnosis and requires a strict, lifelong, gluten-free diet. Better knowledge of environmental exposures apart from gluten can facilitate understanding of the pathogenesis of the disorder and the wide heterogeneity of its clinical spectrum. The purpose of this review is to discuss current knowledge on environmental CD risk factors, as well as possible interaction between them, on the grounds of the reliable scientific evidence available. Key messages The risk of developing CD is influenced not only by gluten ingestion but also by a number of environmental factors including childhood infections and variability in gut microbiota, pre- and perinatal factors, infant feeding practices, delivery methods, parental lifestyle, seasonality, dietary factors and drug use, acting mainly by disrupting intestinal permeability. Better knowledge of exposure to these factors can facilitate their identification, and subsequent elimination, in the individual patient.

Gluten-Induced Extra-Intestinal Manifestations in Potential Celiac Disease-Celiac Trait

Celiac disease patients may suffer from a number of extra-intestinal diseases related to long-term gluten ingestion. The diagnosis of celiac disease is based on the presence of a manifest small intestinal mucosal lesion. Individuals with a normal biopsy but an increased risk of developing celiac disease are referred to as potential celiac disease patients. However, these patients are not treated. This review highlights that patients with normal biopsies may suffer from the same extra-intestinal gluten-induced complications before the disease manifests at the intestinal level. We discuss diagnostic markers revealing true potential celiac disease. The evidence-based medical literature shows that these potential patients, who are “excluded” for celiac disease would in fact benefit from gluten-free diets. The question is why wait for an end-stage disease to occur when it can be prevented? We utilize research on dermatitis herpetiformis, which is a model disease in which a gluten-induced entity erupts in the skin irrespective of the state of the small intestinal mucosal morphology. Furthermore, gluten ataxia can be categorized as its own entity. The other extra-intestinal manifestations occurring in celiac disease are also found at the latent disease stage. Consequently, patients with celiac traits should be identified and treated.

Coeliac disease

Coeliac disease (CD) develops in genetically susceptible individuals who, in response to unclear environmental triggers, develop an immune response triggered by gluten ingestion. It is now recognised as a global disease affecting about 0.7% of the world's population. The clinical presentation ranges from malabsorption to asymptomatic individuals diagnosed by screening high-risk groups. Diagnosis requires the demonstration of small intestinal villous atrophy in the presence of circulating coeliac auto-antibodies and/or an unequivocal response to a gluten-free diet (GFD). Recent guidelines suggest that, in a subset of children, duodenal biopsies can be avoided in the presence of strict symptomatic and serological criteria. While the majority of patients respond to a GFD, up to 20% of patients with CD have persistent or recurrent symptoms. There are several aetiologies for residual or new symptoms in a patient with CD on a GFD, with inadvertent exposure to gluten being the most common. Following a GFD can be challenging for patients with CD and understanding the barriers/challenges faced by patients in maintaining a GFD is crucial for compliance. Abbreviations: AGA: anti-gliadin antibodies; Anti-DGP-ab: anti-deamidated gliadin peptide antibodies; Anti-tTG-ab: anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies; ATD: auto-immune thyroid disorders; BMD: bone mineral density; CD: coeliac disease; DH: dermatitis herpetiformis; EMA: anti-endomysial antibodies; FDR: first-degree relatives; GFD: gluten-free diet; HbA1c: haemoglobin A1c; HLA: human leucocyte antigen; IBS: irritable bowel syndrome; LMIC: low- and middle-income countries; NPV: negative predictive value; NRCD: non-responsive coeliac disease; POCT: point-of-care tests; SDR: second-degree relatives; SIBO: small intestinal bacterial overgrowth; T1DM: type 1 diabetes mellitus; ULN: upper limit of normal.

Celiac Immunogenic Potential of α-Gliadin Epitope Variants from Triticum and Aegilops Species

The high global demand of wheat and its subsequent consumption arise from the physicochemical properties of bread dough and its contribution to the protein intake in the human diet. Gluten is the main structural complex of wheat proteins and subjects affected by celiac disease (CD) cannot tolerate gluten protein. Within gluten proteins, α-gliadins constitute the most immunogenic fraction since they contain the main T-cell stimulating epitopes (DQ2.5-glia-α1, DQ2.5-glia-α2, and DQ2.5-glia-α3). In this work, the celiac immunotoxic potential of α-gliadins was studied within Triticeae: diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid species. The abundance and immunostimulatory capacity of CD canonical epitopes and variants (with one or two mismatches) in all α-gliadin sequences were determined. The results showed that the canonical epitopes DQ2.5-glia-α1 and DQ2.5-glia-α3 were more frequent than DQ2.5-glia-α2. A higher abundance of canonical DQ2.5-glia-α1 epitope was found to be associated with genomes of the BBAADD, AA, and DD types; however, the abundance of DQ2.5-glia-α3 epitope variants was very high in BBAADD and BBAA wheat despite their low abundance in the canonical epitope. The most abundant substitution was that of proline to serine, which was disposed mainly on the three canonical DQ2.5 domains on position 8. Interestingly, our results demonstrated that the natural introduction of Q to H at any position eliminates the toxicity of the three T-cell epitopes in the α-gliadins. The results provided a rational approach for the introduction of natural amino acid substitutions to eliminate the toxicity of three T-cell epitopes, while maintaining the technological properties of commercial wheats.

Systematic Literature Review of the Economic Burden of Celiac Disease

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of celiac disease (CD) has rapidly increased over recent decades, but costs related to CD remain poorly quantified.

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review assessed the economic burden of CD in North America and Europe.

METHODS

MEDLINE, EMBASE, EconLit, and the Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched to identify English-language literature from 2007 to 2018 that assessed costs, cost effectiveness, and health resource utilization for CD.

RESULTS

Forty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria, of which 28 (57.1%) addressed costs of testing and diagnosis; 33 (67.3%) were from Europe. The cost per positive CD diagnosis of testing patients already undergoing esophagogastroduodenoscopy for other indications ranged from 1300 Canadian dollars ($Can) in Canada (2016 value) to €44,712 in the Netherlands (2013 value). Adding the CD test was cost effective when it combined diagnostic modalities (e.g., serology and biopsy). Direct annual excess costs to a US payer per diagnosed CD patient totaled $US6000 (2013 value) more than for a person without CD, chiefly due to outpatient care. Hospitalizations, emergency visits, and medication use were more common with CD. After initiating a gluten-free diet (GFD), patients visited primary care providers less often, used more medications, and missed fewer days from school and work.

CONCLUSIONS

Most of the few available economic studies of CD assess testing and diagnosis costs, especially in Europe. Methods of testing generally are considered cost effective when they combine diagnostic modalities in symptomatic patients. Most costs to a payer of managing CD derive from outpatient care. Following GFD initiation, patients lose fewer days from work and school than pretreatment.

The effects of IL-8, IL- 6, and IL-1 on the risk of celiac disease: a Bayesian regression analysis

AIM

The present study aimed to evaluate the association between serum levels of interleukin IL-1, IL-6, IL-8 genes as well as interferon (IFN)-γ and the risk of celiac disease (CD).

BACKGROUND

The role of serum cytokine levels in the pathophysiology of CD is still an open field to be explored.

METHODS

This case-control study was performed on 110 patients with CD and 46 healthy controls referring to Taleghani Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Expression levels of IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, and IFN-γ were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits.

RESULTS

The Bayesian intervention odds ratio (OR) and Highest Posterior Density (HPD) interval were 1.133 (95% credible interval 1.018- 1.269), 0.947 (95% credible interval 0.898 - 0.996) and 1.004 (95% credible interval 1.001- 1.009) for IL-1, IL-6, and IL-8 respectively.

CONCLUSION

The serum level of IFN-γ has no effect on the risk of CD, but given the OR and the HPD interval obtained for serum levels of IL-1, IL-6 and IL-8, with one unit increase in IL-1 serum, the risk of CD grows by 1.13 times while one unit increase in IL-6 serum reduces the risk of CD by 15%. Finally, regarding IL-8, the risk of CD increases by 0.004 times with a unit increase in IL-8 serum.

Rare T-Cell Subtypes

There are a number of rare T-cell lymphoma subtypes that may be encountered in clinical practice. In recent years, improved immunohistochemical techniques and molecular tumor profiling have permitted refinement of some of the diagnostic categories in this group, as well as the recognition of distinct conditions not previously well elucidated. In this chapter, we cover the diagnostic and clinical features of some of the more common of these conditions, including subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma, cutaneous gamma-delta T-cell lymphoma, enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma, monomorphic epitheliotropic intestinal T-cell lymphoma, primary cutaneous CD8-positive aggressive epidermotropic cytotoxic T-cell lymphoma, CD4-positive small/medium T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder, and acral CD8-positive T-cell lymphoma. Given the rarity of these conditions, optimal treatments approaches are not always well established, not least as data from large-scale clinical trials are lacking. In this chapter, we aim to provide a summation of current thinking around best treatment, as well as highlighting some controversies in the management of these diagnoses.

Prevalence and Clinical Features of Celiac Disease in Healthy School-Aged Children

BACKGROUND/AIMS

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of celiac disease (CD) in healthy school-aged children in the northern region of Cyprus and to investigate the existence of potential markers that may accompany CD. This is the first study to measure the prevalence of CD in the northern region of Cyprus.

METHODS

This study included 3792 school-aged children who were between the ages of 6 and 10 years between January 2015 and October 2016. CD was screened using total serum IgA, IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTG), and IgA antiendomysial (EMA) antibodies. Subjects with selective IgA deficiency were further tested for IgG-tTG. Small intestinal biopsies were performed on all subjects with tTG antibody positivity. Risk factors and symptoms related to CD were evaluated using questionnaires in both the CD and control groups.

RESULTS

Of the 3792 subjects, 39 were antibody positive (IgA-tTG was positive only in 14 subjects, IgA-tTG plus IgA-EMA in 21 subjects, and IgG-tTG in 4 subjects). IgA deficiency was detected in 11 subjects (0.29%). IgG-tTG was positive in 4 subjects with IgA deficiency (36.3%). Intestinal biopsies were performed on 28 of the 39 seropositive subjects. The biopsy findings of 15 children were consistent with CD (IgA-tTG positive in 3, IgA-tTG and IgA-EMA positive in 10, and IgG-tTG positive in 2). Thus, biopsies confirmed CD in 1:256 children (0.39%).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study, which is the first study of school-aged children from the northern region of Cyprus, revealed that CD is a prevalent disease in this region.

Mechanisms by which gut microorganisms influence food sensitivities

Finely tuned mechanisms enable the gastrointestinal tract to break down dietary components into nutrients without mounting, in the majority of cases, a dysregulated immune or functional host response. However, adverse reactions to food have been steadily increasing, and evidence suggests that this process is environmental. Adverse food reactions can be divided according to their underlying pathophysiology into food intolerances, when, for instance, there is deficiency of a host enzyme required to digest the food component, and food sensitivities, when immune mechanisms are involved. In this Review, we discuss the clinical and experimental evidence for enteric infections and/or alterations in the gut microbiota in inciting food sensitivity. We focus on mechanisms by which microorganisms might provide direct pro-inflammatory signals to the host promoting breakdown of oral tolerance to food antigens or indirect pathways that involve the metabolism of protein antigens and other dietary components by gut microorganisms. Better understanding of these mechanisms will help in the development of preventive and therapeutic strategies for food sensitivities.

Clinical, endoscopic, and histological differentiation between celiac disease and tropical sprue: A systematic review

BACKGROUND AND AIM

While the prevalence of celiac disease (CD) is increasing globally, the prevalence of tropical sprue (TS) is declining. Still, there are certain regions in the world where both patients with CD and TS exist and differentiation between them is a challenging task. We conducted a systematic review of the literature to find out differentiating clinical, endoscopic, and histological characteristics between CD and TS.

METHODS

Medline, PubMed, and EMBASE databases were searched for keywords: celiac disease, coeliac, celiac, tropical sprue, sprue, clinical presentation, endoscopy, and histology. Studies published between August 1960 and January 2018 were reviewed. Out of 1063 articles available, 12 articles were included in the final analysis.

RESULTS

Between the patients with CD and TS, there was no difference in the prevalence and duration of chronic diarrhea, abdominal distension, weight loss, extent of abnormal fecal fat content, and density of intestinal inflammation. The following features were more common in CD: short stature, vomiting/dyspepsia, endoscopic scalloping/attenuation of duodenal folds, histological high modified Marsh changes, crescendo type of IELosis, surface epithelial denudation, surface mucosal flattening, thickening of subepithelial basement membrane and celiac seropositivity; while those in TS include anemia, abnormal urinary D-xylose test, endoscopic either normal duodenal folds or mild attenuation, histologically decrescendo type of IELosis, low modified Marsh changes, patchy mucosal changes, and mucosal eosinophilia.

CONCLUSIONS

Both patients with CD and TS have overlapping clinical, endoscopic, and histological characteristics, and there is no single diagnostic feature for differentiating CD from TS except for celiac specific serological tests.

Diagnosis of gluten-related enteropathy in a newborn: how and when?

AIM

To analyze the development of gliadin-specific immune responses in children with a genetic risk for CD and to determine whether these could be detected before the clinical onset of the disease by using immunological tests.

BACKGROUND

Clinical manifestations of celiac disease (CD) in the first year of life is uncommon, which is due to the suboptimal sensitivity of tissue transglutaminase IgA antibodies (tTG-IgA) at this age and other possible causes of malabsorption in infants. The development of Deamidate gliadin peptide-specific antibodies (in particular DGP-IgG) in young children was poorly considered in the CD diagnosis.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study on children between one month and forty-eight months of life, which performed in our health center from 2016 to 2018. Three hundred and fifty children were selected according to strict inclusion criteria: positive for HLA-DQA1 and DQB1 alleles, positive anti tTG-IgA/IgG and/or positive DGP-IgG/IgA. Eighty-two children were selected and divided into two different groups of patients: Group one (forty newborns under twenty-four months of life) and Group two (children from twenty-five months to 48 months of life).

RESULTS

Anti-DGP-IgG antibodies precede anti tTG-IgA seroconversion in children under two years in 80% of cases. Anti-DGP-IgG positive patients had milder symptomatic forms of CD than anti tTG-IgA positive children, characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms in the presence of normal growth, normal serum iron, and low MCH level. At tTG-IgA seroconversion, children present gastrointestinal clinical forms associated with impaired growth. The combined use of tTG-IgA and DGP-IgG antibodies upgrade the diagnostic sensitivity from 50% to 92%.

CONCLUSION

Anti-DGP-IgG antibodies precede tTG-IgA seroconversion in newborns and identified two distinct clinical phenotypes. At this point, if you wanted to test your newborn patients for CD serology, how would you proceed?

Extrahepatic autoimmunity in autoimmune liver disease

The most important autoimmune liver disease include: autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis. In general, about one in three patients with an autoimmune liver disease have a concomitant extrahepatic autoimmune disease, which may include rheumatological, endocrinological, gastrointestinal, pulmonary or dermatological conditions. The pathogenesis of these conditions includes the production of both innate and adaptive immune responses targeting cholangiocytes as well as different extrahepatic tissues. In this sense, extrahepatic autoimmunity represent a continuous spectrum of autoimmunity involving liver and extrahepatic tissues. This review aims to focus the clinical and pathophysiological aspects of extrahepatic autoimmunity associated to autoimmune liver diseases.

Novel screening test for celiac disease using peptide functionalised gold nanoparticles

AIM

To develop a screening test for celiac disease based on the coating of gold nanoparticles with a peptide sequence derived from gliadin, the protein that triggers celiac disease.

METHODS

20 nm gold nanoparticles were first coated with NeutrAvidin. A long chain Polyethylene glycol (PEG) linker containing Maleimide at the Ω-end and Biotin group at the α-end was used to ensure peptide coating to the gold nanoparticles. The maleimide group with the thiol (-SH) side chain reacted with the cysteine amino acid in the peptide sequence and the biotinylated and PEGylated peptide was added to the NeutrAvidin coated gold nanoparticles. The peptide coated gold nanoparticles were then converted into a serological assay. We used the peptide functionalised gold nanoparticle-based assay on thirty patient serum samples in a blinded assessment and compared our results with the previously run serological and pathological tests on these patients.

RESULTS

A stable colloidal suspension of peptide coated gold nanoparticles was obtained without any aggregation. An absorbance peak shift as well as color change was caused by the aggregation of gold nanoparticles following the addition of anti-gliadin antibody to peptide coated nanoparticles at levels associated with celiac disease. The developed assay has been shown to detect anti-gliadin antibody not only in quantitatively spiked samples but also in a small-scale study on real non-hemolytic celiac disease patient’s samples.

CONCLUSION

The study demonstrates the potential of gold nanoparticle-peptide based approach to be adapted for developing a screening assay for celiac disease diagnosis. The assay could be a part of an exclusion based diagnostic strategy and prove particularly useful for testing high celiac disease risk populations.

Pathogenesis of Enteropathy-Associated T Cell Lymphoma

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To provide an update on the pathogenesis of enteropathy-associated T cell lymphoma (EATL) and its relationship with refractory celiac disease (RCD), in light of current knowledge of immune, genetic, and environmental factors that promote neoplastic transformation of intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs).

RECENT FINDINGS

EATL frequently evolves from RCD type II (RCD II) but can occur "de novo" in individuals with celiac disease. Recurrent activating mutations in members of the JAK/STAT pathway have been recently described in EATL and RCD II, which suggests deregulation of cytokine signaling to be an early event in lymphomagenesis. Intraepithelial T cells are presumed to be the cell of origin of EATL (and RCD II). Recent in vitro molecular and phenotypic analyses and in vivo murine studies, however, suggest an origin of RCD II from innate IELs (NK/T cell precursors), which could also be the cell of origin of RCD II-derived EATL. The immune microenvironment of the small intestinal mucosa in celiac disease fosters the development of EATL, often in a multistep pathway.

The Experience of Living With a Gluten-Free Diet: An Integrative Review

Celiac disease represents a problem in our society, not only because of its interest in terms of healthcare, but also because of its increasing prevalence in recent years and the impact it has on sufferers and their families. This integrative review investigated current knowledge about the experience of living with a gluten-free diet, as well as social support and the role played by nurses and/or associations in the process. A total of 18 articles were selected. Results revealed greater family support is needed to deal with the day-to-day issues of a gluten-free diet. Furthermore, women diagnosed with celiac disease have more psychological distress than men according to some studies. Sufferers of celiac disease report that more information is needed at all levels (hotel and catering, healthcare, social), which would help generate coping strategies. The few studies retrieved that talk about this topic show that following a gluten-free diet affects the personal, family, emotional, social, and financial dimensions of sufferers of celiac disease. The nurse tends to be the person whom those coping with the illness go to for support, although celiac disease associations are also a fundamental pillar in this support. Policy makers need to adapt health services to the needs of individuals with celiac disease.

Celiac Disease Diagnosed through Screening Programs in At-Risk Adults Is Not Associated with Worse Adherence to the Gluten-Free Diet and Might Protect from Osteopenia/Osteoporosis

Screening strategies to detect celiac disease (CD) in at-risk subjects are of paramount importance to prevent the possible long-term complications of this condition. It is therefore of strategic relevance to understand whether patients diagnosed through screening follow a strict gluten-free diet (GFD), as the non-compliance to this diet can make screening efforts pointless. Currently, no studies have verified whether CD patients diagnosed in their adulthood are adhering to the GFD years after the diagnosis. We retrospectively evaluated the medical records of 750 CD patients diagnosed in our center during January 2004⁻December 2013 to verify differences between screening detected and clinically diagnosed patients. The groups shared a similar adherence to the GFD (91.2 versus 89.8%, p = 0.857). Moreover, the rates of non-responsive CD, GFD-induced metabolic alterations, and persistence in controls were also similar. Instead, screening-detected patients had a significantly lower rate of osteopenia/osteoporosis at diagnosis (31.3 versus 46%, p < 0.001). In conclusion, screening strategies for CD in at-risk groups should be encouraged even in the adult population. Patients diagnosed through these strategies had no additional problems compared to those diagnosed for clinical suspicion and might benefit from a protective effect against metabolic bone disease.

The daily practice of (suspected) coeliac disease management by general practitioners: A qualitative approach

BACKGROUND

General practitioners (GPs) play a crucial role in diagnosing coeliac disease (CD). However, data on GP management of (suspected) CD patients is sparse.

OBJECTIVES

To provide insights into the daily practice of diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of CD by GPs.

METHODS

A qualitative study using topic list-based semi-structured in-depth interviews with Dutch GPs with more than five years' experience carried out between January and March 2017. GPs were purposively sampled. The number of GPs interviewed depended on when data saturation was reached. We applied content analysis to the semi-structured interviews.

RESULTS

Seven GPs were interviewed, five of whom were female. Analysis of the interviews resulted in three main themes: 'awareness,' 'diagnostics' and 'management.' Vague gastrointestinal symptoms and diarrhoea were often mentioned as a possible presentation of CD. Antibodies were used in CD diagnosis, although some GPs would start a gluten-free diet as a first diagnostic tool. Some GPs diagnosed CD only based on positive antibodies without referring to secondary care or duodenal biopsy analysis. GPs mentioned no role for primary care physicians in the follow-up of CD and noted the important role of dieticians in CD management.

CONCLUSION

The different views of GPs on how to diagnose and monitor CD could be a basis for further research to improve CD detection rate and CD care.

Celiac Disease-Musculoskeletal Manifestations and Mechanisms in Children to Adults

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

We aim to review the current literature on the association of musculoskeletal disorders and celiac disease that is a common disorder, affecting about 1% of the population. Extra-intestinal symptoms and presentations predominate.

RECENT FINDINGS

While the literature supports an association with reduced bone mineral density and increased fracture risk and celiac disease, there is little evidence supporting associations with other rheumatological conditions. Patients frequently report musculoskeletal symptoms; however, studies of specific disease entities suffer from a lack of standardization of testing for celiac disease and a lack of control groups. Well-controlled, preferably population-based studies are required to further explore a relationship between celiac disease and musculoskeletal disorders.

Ten years of follow-up of the Spanish cohort of the European PreventCD study: the lessons learned

AIM

to evaluate the influence of gluten consumption on celiac disease development and to describe its natural history in the Spanish cohort of the European PreventCD study.

METHODS

prospective multi-center double blind study of 225 children that were followed up from birth. All cases were HLA-DQ2/HLA-DQ8 positive with a 1st degree relative with celiac disease and were followed up in three centers from Madrid, Reus and Valencia. Gluten intake was determined between four and ten months according to the protocol. Gluten intake was ad libitum between eleven and 36 months and was prospectively quantified by means of dietary records. Clinical visits and specific antibody analysis for celiac disease were performed periodically.

RESULTS

twenty-six cases were diagnosed, all had a positive biopsy and serology; 21 had gastrointestinal symptoms and five were asymptomatic. In addition, 2,565 food records were analyzed and statistically significant differences (p < 0.001) were found with regard to gluten consumption among the three centers, although not between celiac and non-celiac children (p = 0.025). The HLA-DQ2.5/DQ2.5 and DQ2.5/DQ2.2 genotypes had a relative risk of 4.7 (95% CI: 0.80-27.55; p = 0.08), which was higher than for the rest of genotypes. Female gender also had a relative risk that was five times higher than that for males.

CONCLUSIONS

the amount of gluten intake between 11 and 36 months or the duration of breast feeding were not risk factors for the development of CD in the Spanish population. The HLA genotype and gender were the most relevant associated factors. In this at-risk group, the disease presented before two years of age in the majority of the cases with a weak clinical expression.