The role of hyperhomocysteinemia in neurological features associated with coeliac disease

Celiac disease and depressive disorders as nutritional implications related to common factors - A comprehensive review

Celiac disease (CD) is an immune-mediated disease affecting the small intestine. The only treatment strategy for CD is the gluten-free diet (GFD). One of the more common mental disorders in CD patients is major depressive disorder (MDD). The influence of GFD on the occurrence of MDD symptoms in patients with CD will be evaluated. This diet often reduces nutritional deficiencies in these patients and also helps to reduce depressive symptoms. Both disease entities are often dominated by the same deficiencies of nutrients such as iron, zinc, selenium, iodine, or B and D vitamins. Deficiencies of particular components in CD can favor MDD and vice versa. Gluten can adversely affect the mental state of patients without CD. Also, intestinal microbiota may play an important role in the described process. This work aims to comprehensively assess the common factors involved in the pathomechanisms of MDD and CD, with particular emphasis on nutrient imbalances. Given the complexity of both disease entities, and the many common links, more research related to improving mental health in these patients and the implementation of a GFD would need to be conducted, but it appears to be a viable pathway to improving the quality of life and health of people struggling with CD and MDD. Therefore, probiotics, micronutrients, macronutrients, and vitamin supplements are recommended to reduce the risk of MDD, given that they may alleviate the symptoms of both these disease entities. In turn, in patients with MDD, it is worth considering testing for CD.

Systematic review: Exploration of the impact of psychosocial factors on quality of life in adults living with coeliac disease

BACKGROUND

Individuals living with coeliac disease generally experience a remission of symptoms after adopting the gluten-free diet but often report substantial treatment burden and ongoing quality of life issues. Psychosocial factors have been suggested to play a significant role in post-diagnosis quality of life but have yet to be systematically reviewed.

AIM

To review the evidence for psychosocial factors associated with quality of life in adult coeliac disease cohorts.

METHODS

Studies were identified via systematic searches of eight databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Emcare, PsycINFO, Ovid Nursing, CINAHL, Informit Health Collection, Cochrane Library) in May 2019.

RESULTS

Fourteen studies were included involving 3372 participants (80.2% female, mean age = 46.4 years). Symptoms of depression and anxiety were the most examined psychosocial factors across all studies. Quality of life was differentially associated with psychological distress, illness perceptions, coping, and attitudes/behaviours regarding food and the gluten-free diet.

CONCLUSION

Several psychosocial factors are associated with quality of life in adults living with coeliac disease. Current evidence suggests these factors are interrelated and may influence quality of life directly, via reduced psychological well-being, and indirectly, via reduced adherence to the gluten-free diet. Future research is needed to examine these processes concurrently, with the aim of elucidating the psychosocial mechanisms underlying post-diagnosis well-being and identifying potential targets for psychosocial intervention.

The risk of epilepsy in children with celiac disease: a population-based cohort study

BACKGROUNDAND PURPOSE

The purpose was to estimate the risk of epilepsy in a cohort of young individuals with celiac disease (CD) compared to that of matched references.

METHODS

The cohort consisted of 213 635 individuals born during 1989-2011 and residing in Friuli-Venezia Giulia (Italy). 1215 individuals affected by CD and 6075 reference individuals matched by sex and age were identified. Epilepsy was defined by means of hospital diagnosis or drug prescriptions. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) of having epilepsy amongst individuals with CD, before CD diagnosis and in the entire period, compared with those of their matched references. Cox regression was used to calculate the hazard ratios for epilepsy diagnosed after CD diagnosis. Different definitions of epilepsy were used for sensitivity analyses.

RESULTS

Thirty-one (2.6%) individuals with CD and 78 (1.3%) reference individuals had epilepsy [adjusted OR 2.03; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.33-3.10]. The risk of epilepsy was increased prior to CD (adjusted OR 2.29; 95% CI 1.33-3.94), with similar estimates after CD diagnosis (adjusted hazard ratio 1.96; 95% CI 0.95-4.02). The increased risk of epilepsy was not explained by a peak in epilepsy diagnosis just around CD diagnosis. Sex stratification found a significantly higher risk of epilepsy amongst female individuals with CD. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the positive association between CD and epilepsy.

CONCLUSION

Children and youths with CD were at increased risk of epilepsy. Patients with epilepsy without a clear etiology should be screened for CD since an early diagnosis and treatment might improve the response to antiepileptic therapies.

Anxiety Symptoms in Adult Celiac Patients and the Effect of a Gluten-Free Diet: An Iranian Nationwide Study

INTRODUCTION

Psychiatric disorders, especially anxiety, are considered extraintestinal manifestations of celiac disease (CD).

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to evaluate the level of anxiety in treated patients with CD in Iran.

METHODS

A total of 283 CD patients (190 female, 93 male) were enrolled in a study during 2016-2018 from 9 centers in Iran. The Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale questionnaire was completed. The anxiety index was calculated. Also, demographic data and the duration of treatment with a gluten-free diet (GFD) were recorded. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 20.

RESULTS

Anxiety symptoms were reported in 67.8% of patients. Female patients had a higher anxiety index than male patients. Duration of treatment with a GFD did not influence the anxiety index (17.3% were on a GFD for <1 year, 33.6% for 1-2 years, and 49.1% had GFD for >2 years; p = 0.86).

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that anxiety symptoms are common among patients, especially females, with CD in Iran and GFD duration has no effect on their improvement.

Neuropsychiatric manifestations in celiac disease

Celiac disease (CD) is a systemic, chronic immune-mediated disorder elicited by gluten and related prolamines in genetically susceptible subjects. Main manifestations of CD involve the digestive tract; however, a growing body of evidence supports the theory that symptoms may occur in every part of the body. It is known that some patients with CD can be asymptomatic, and additionally, the incidence of "nonclassical" CD with extraintestinal presentation is apparently increasing. We aimed to perform a thorough review of existing evidence for neurological manifestations of CD, providing an up-to-date description of prevalence and examining the pathogenetic mechanisms possibly involved. Neurological presentations are rare in children but as many as 36% of adult patients present with neurological findings. With severe malnutrition after progression of CD, different vitamin deficiencies may develop. Such problems can in turn overlap with previous neurological abnormalities including ataxia, epilepsy, neuropathy, dementia, and cognitive disorders. Here, the most prevalent clinical manifestations in adults and children have been discussed in further detail. Further research is needed to achieve a complete understanding of the nervous system involvement in CD, but clinicians should always remember that neurological and psychiatric symptoms might be part of the CD spectrum of manifestations.

Nutritional Deficiencies in Children with Celiac Disease Resulting from a Gluten-Free Diet: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

A strictly gluten-free diet (GFD) is the basis for managing celiac disease (CD). Numerous studies have reported nutritional deficiencies/imbalances ascribable to a GFD. The aim of this review is to describe nutritional deficiencies observed in children with celiac disease on a GFD, to discuss the clinical consequences related to these nutritional imbalances, and to identify strategies that may be adopted to treat them.

METHODS

We reviewed the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases between January 1998 and January 2019.

RESULTS

Children are, regardless of whether they are on a gluten-free diet or not, at risk of consuming too much fat and insufficient fiber, iron, vitamin D, and calcium. These imbalances may be exacerbated when children are on a gluten-free diet. In particular, the intake of folate, magnesium, zinc, and foods with a high glycemic index in children with CD who are on a GFD is significantly altered.

CONCLUSIONS

Therapeutic protocols should include nutritional education to help teach subjects affected by disorders such as CD the importance of labels, the choice of foods, and the combination of macro- and micronutrients. Children with CD on a GFD should be encouraged to rotate pseudo-cereals, consume gluten-free commercial products that have been fortified or enriched, and use foods that are local and naturally gluten-free.

Neurological manifestations of atypical celiac disease in childhood

Various typical and atypical neurological manifestations can be seen as the initial symptoms of celiac disease (CD). We suggest that gluten toxicity is the most suspicious triggering risk factor for probable pathophysiological pathways of neurological involvement in atypical CD. The medical charts of 117 patients diagnosed with atypical CD were retrieved from a tertiary center in Ankara, Turkey. Eight patients reported as having neurologic manifestations as initiating symptoms were evaluated in detail. The initial neurological manifestations of CD in our study included atypical absence, which was reported first in this study, generalized tonic-clonic seizures, complex partial seizures, severe axial hypotonia and down phenotype, multifocal leukoencephalopathy, mild optic neuritis, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and short duration headaches. Seizures mostly emphasizing atypical absence could be the initial presentation manifestation of CD, first described in this literature. Gluten toxicity could be one of the most powerful triggering factors for developing epilepsy in CD. Learning disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, short duration headaches, mild optic neuritis, encephalopathy, and DS could also be the initial neurological manifestations of atypical CD. A gluten-restricted diet may improve neurological complaints, epileptic discharges, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. All we found may be a small part of the full range of neurological disorders of unknown origin related to CD. Clinical suspicion should be the rule for accurate diagnosis of the disease.

The progression of coeliac disease: its neurological and psychiatric implications

The aim of the paper is to show the various neurological and psychiatric symptoms in coeliac disease (CD). CD is a T cell-mediated, tissue-specific autoimmune disease which affects genetically susceptible individuals after dietary exposure to proline- and glutamine-rich proteins contained in certain cereal grains. Genetics, environmental factors and different immune systems, together with the presence of auto-antigens, are taken into account when identifying the pathogenesis of CD. CD pathogenesis is related to immune dysregulation, which involves the gastrointestinal system, and the extra-intestinal systems such as the nervous system, whose neurological symptoms are evidenced in CD patients. A gluten-free diet (GFD) could avoid cerebellar ataxia, epilepsy, neuropathies, migraine and mild cognitive impairment. Furthermore, untreated CD patients have more symptoms and psychiatric co-morbidities than those treated with a GFD. Common psychiatric symptoms in untreated CD adult patients include depression, apathy, anxiety, and irritability and schizophrenia is also common in untreated CD. Several studies show improvement in psychiatric symptoms after the start of a GFD. The present review discusses the state of the art regarding neurological and psychiatric complications in CD and highlights the evidence supporting a role for GFD in reducing neurological and psychiatric complications.

Geographical and Ethnic Distributions of the MTHFR C677T, A1298C and MTRR A66G Gene Polymorphisms in Chinese Populations: A Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

The geographical and ethnic distributions of the polymorphic methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) mutations (C677T and A1298C) and methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) mutation (A66G) remain heterogeneous in China. The goal of this study was to estimate the pooled frequencies of the alleles and associated genotypes of these gene polymorphisms among healthy populations in Mainland China.

OBJECTIVE AND METHODS

We systematically reviewed published epidemiological studies on the distributions of 3 genetic variants in Chinese healthy populations living in Mainland China through a meta-analysis. The relevant electronic databases were searched. All of the raw data of the eligible citations were extracted. The frequency estimates were stratified by geography, ethnicity and sex.

RESULTS

Sixty-six studies were identified with a total of 92277 study participants. The meta-analysis revealed that the frequencies of the MTHFR C677T, A1298C, and MTRR A66G gene polymorphisms varied significantly between different ethnic groups and along geographical gradients. The frequencies of the 677T allele and 677TT genotype increased along the southern-central-northern direction across Mainland China (all Pvalues≤0.001). The frequencies of the 1298C, 1298CC, 66G and 66GG genotypes decreased along the south-central-north direction across the country (all Pvalues≤0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our meta-analysis strongly indicates significant geographical and ethnic variations in the frequencies of the C677T, A1298C, and A66G gene polymorphisms in the folate metabolism pathway among Chinese populations.

Extraintestinal manifestations of celiac disease: 33-mer gliadin binding to glutamate receptor GRINA as a new explanation

We propose a biochemical mechanism for celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity that may rationalize many of the extradigestive disorders not explained by the current immunogenetic model. Our hypothesis is based on the homology between the 33-mer gliadin peptide and a component of the NMDA glutamate receptor ion channel - the human GRINA protein - using BLASTP software. Based on this homology the 33-mer may act as a natural antagonist interfering with the normal interactions of GRINA and its partners. The theory is supported by numerous independent data from the literature, and provides a mechanistic link with otherwise unrelated disorders, such as cleft lip and palate, thyroid dysfunction, restless legs syndrome, depression, ataxia, hearing loss, fibromyalgia, dermatitis herpetiformis, schizophrenia, toxoplasmosis, anemia, osteopenia, Fabry disease, Barret's adenocarcinoma, neuroblastoma, urinary incontinence, recurrent miscarriage, cardiac anomalies, reduced risk of breast cancer, stiff person syndrome, etc. The hypothesis also anticipates better animal models, and has the potential to open new avenues of research.

Psychological morbidity of celiac disease: A review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Celiac disease has been linked to decreased quality of life and certain mood disorders. The effect of the gluten free diet on these psychological aspects of the disease is still unclear.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this article is to review the literature on psychological morbidity of celiac disease.

METHODS

We performed a PubMed search for the time period from 1900 until June 1, 2014, to identify papers on psychological aspects of celiac disease looking specifically at quality of life, anxiety, depression and fatigue.

RESULTS

Anxiety, depression and fatigue are common complaints in patients with untreated celiac disease and contribute to lower quality of life. While aspects of these conditions may improve within a few months after starting a gluten-free diet, some patients continue to suffer from significant psychological morbidity. Psychological symptoms may affect the quality of life and the dietary adherence.

CONCLUSION

Health care professionals need to be aware of the ongoing psychological burden of celiac disease in order to support patients with this disease.

Extraintestinal manifestations of celiac disease

Case finding for celiac disease (CD) is becoming increasingly common practice and is conducted in a wide range of clinical situations ranging from the presence of gastrointestinal symptoms to failure to thrive in children, prolonged fatigue, unexpected weight loss and anemia. Case finding is also performed in associated conditions, such as autoimmune thyroid disease, dermatitis herpetiformis and type 1 diabetes, as well as in patients with irritable bowel syndrome, unexplained neuropsychiatric disorders and first-degree relatives of patients with diagnosed CD. This aggressive active case finding has dramatically changed the clinical characteristics of newly diagnosed patients. For instance, higher numbers of patients who present with extraintestinal symptoms are now being diagnosed with CD. Current recommendations state that due to a high risk for complications if the disease remains undiagnosed, patients with extraintestinal symptoms due to CD require appropriate diagnosis and treatment. Despite criticism regarding the cost-effectiveness of case finding in CD, such an aggressive approach has been considered cost-effective for high-risk patients. The diagnosis of CD among patients with extraintestinal symptoms requires a high degree of awareness of the clinical conditions that carry a high risk for underlying CD. Also, understanding the correct use of specific serology and duodenal histology is key for an appropriate diagnostic approach. Both procedures combined are able to confirm diagnosis in the vast majority of cases. However, in certain circumstances, serology and even duodenal histology cannot confirm or rule out CD. A common cause of negative IgA serology is IgA deficiency. For such eventuality, IgG-based serological tests can help confirm the diagnosis. Importantly, some histologically diagnosed cases still remain seronegative despite exclusion of IgA deficiency. On the other hand, duodenal histology may be normal despite the presence of CD-specific antibodies and active CD. This has been clearly demonstrated in some cases of untreated dermatitis herpetiformis, but may also be due to the patchy condition of CD or lesions that are not adequately recognized by nonexpert endoscopists and/or pathologists. The effectiveness of agluten-free diet depends on the clinical end point addressed. A good example is the outcome of bone loss. While risk for fracture normalizes after the first year of dietary treatment, bone parameters measured by densitometry may not be normalized in the long-term follow-up. Moreover, it is still unclear how far an early gluten-free diet will positively affect associated autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes and autoimmune thyroiditis.

Role of the gluten-free diet on neurological-EEG findings and sleep disordered breathing in children with celiac disease

PURPOSE

To determine whether celiac children are at risk for EEG-neurological features and sleep disordered breathing (SDB), and whether an appropriate gluten-free diet (GFD) influences these disorders.

METHODS

We consecutively enrolled 19 children with a new biopsy-proven celiac disease (CD) diagnosis. At CD diagnosis and after 6 months of GFD, each patient underwent a general and neurological examination, an electroencephalogram, a questionnaire about neurological features, and a validated questionnaire about SDB: OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) scores<0 predict normality; values>0 predict OSA.

RESULTS

At CD diagnosis, 37% of patients complained headache that affected daily activities and 32% showed positive OSA score. The EEG examinations revealed abnormal finding in 48% of children. After 6 months of GFD headache disappeared in 72% of children and EEG abnormalities in 78%; all children showed negative OSA score.

CONCLUSION

According to our preliminary data, in the presence of unexplained EEG abnormalities and/or other neurological disorders/SDB an atypical or silent CD should also be taken into account.