Screening for coeliac disease in patients fulfilling the Rome II criteria for irritable bowel syndrome in a secondary care hospital in The Netherlands: a prospective observational study

Overlapping of irritable bowel syndrome with erosive esophagitis and the performance of Rome criteria in diagnosing IBS in a clinical setting

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) overlap. It is not clear whether GERD is caused by non-erosive esophagitis, or erosive esophagitis. The Rome criteria are not widely used for the diagnosis of IBS in the clinic. In total, 1,489 IBS patients without red flags were included in the present retrospective study. They comprised of 1,331 females and 158 males with a mean age of 51 years. The diagnosis of IBS was verified by endoscopic and histopathological examinations. Whereas erosive esophagitis occurred in 97% of patients, only 66% had GERD symptoms. Endoscopy and histopathological examinations revealed that 1.4% of the IBS patients with diarrhea as the predominant symptom had other organic gastrointestinal diseases: 0.3% with celiac disease, 0.2% with Crohn's disease, 0.07% with ulcerative colitis, 0.6% with microscopic colitis, and 0.2% with colon cancer. Applying the Rome III criteria produced a sensitivity of 100% [95% confidence intervals (CI)=99.8–100.0%] a specificity of 98.7% (95% CI=98.0–99.2%), a positive likelihood ratio of 76.9%, and a negative likelihood ratio of 0%. IBS is associated with erosive esophagitis. Applying Rome III criteria without red flags and history, was effective in diagnosing IBS. Celiac disease and microscopic colitis should be considered as alternative diagnoses.

Is celiac disease misdiagnosed in children with functional constipation?

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Functional constipation is one of the common problems in childhood, and it comprises approximately 5% of the pediatric outpatient clinical applications. On the other hand, celiac disease (CD) is an immune enteropathy with the prevalence between 1/150 and 1/200. In addition to the classical symptoms of the disease such as diarrhea and weight loss, the incidence of atypical symptoms is increasing. This study aims to determine the prevalence of CD in patients with chronic constipation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was conducted between 2010 and 2012 and included 1046 children (range, 2-18 y; median, 11.4 y) diagnosed with chronic constipation according to the Rome III criteria. Serum immunoglobulin A, tissue transglutaminase, and/or anti-endomysial antibodies were examined. The patients with serological positive results were subjected to upper gastrointestinal system endoscopy and duodenal biopsy to confirm the diagnosis of CD.

RESULTS

Blood tests were positive in 36 patients (3.25%). One of the patients had Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and 4 patients had short stature. Endoscopic findings included nodularity in bulbus and duodenal mucosa (n=16), scalloping fold (n=13), and normal mucosa (n=5). Histopathologic findings revealed that 10 patients had total villous atrophy, 24 patients had subtotal and partial villous atrophy, and 34 patients had intraepithelial lymphocyte infiltration. All patients followed a gluten-free diet, resulting in a resolution of symptoms.

CONCLUSION

In the present study, a CD ratio of 1:28 was diagnosed in chronically constipated children. The use of screening tests for CD should be considered in children with conventional treatment-resistant constipation.

Screening for Celiac Disease in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Celiac disease (CD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) share similar symptoms, leading to confusion between the two and diagnostic delay. International guidelines recommend screening individuals with IBS for CD, via serological testing. However, studies published recently have cast doubt on the utility of this. We updated a previous meta-analysis examining this issue.

METHODS

MEDLINE, EMBASE, and EMBASE Classic were searched through to May 2016. Eligible studies recruited adults with IBS according to symptom-based criteria, physician's opinion, or questionnaire data. Tests for CD included IgA-class antigliadin antibodies (AGA), endomysial antibodies (EMA), tissue transglutaminase antibodies (tTG), or duodenal biopsies following positive serology. The proportion of individuals meeting criteria for IBS testing positive for CD was combined to give a pooled prevalence for all studies, and compared between cases with IBS and, healthy controls without (where reported), using an odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI).

RESULTS

There were 36 eligible studies, recruiting 15,256 individuals, of whom 9,275 (60.8%) met criteria for IBS. Pooled ORs for positive IgA AGAs, EMA and/or tTG, and biopsy-proven CD in IBS subjects vs. controls were 3.21 (95% CI 1.55-6.65), 2.75 (95% CI 1.35-5.61), and 4.48 (95% CI 2.33-8.60), respectively. There was no increase in ORs for any test for CD among cases with IBS in North American studies, and results were inconsistent in population-based studies. The prevalence of biopsy-proven CD was significantly higher across all subtypes of IBS. Limitations included heterogeneity in some analyses, and few North American studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, prevalence of positive celiac serology and biopsy-proven CD was significantly higher in subjects with symptoms suggestive of IBS vs. healthy controls. However, the utility of screening for CD in individuals with suspected IBS in North America or in the community is less clear.

The relation between celiac disease, nonceliac gluten sensitivity and irritable bowel syndrome

Wheat products make a substantial contribution to the dietary intake of many people worldwide. Despite the many beneficial aspects of consuming wheat products, it is also responsible for several diseases such as celiac disease (CD), wheat allergy, and nonceliac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). CD and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients have similar gastrointestinal symptoms, which can result in CD patients being misdiagnosed as having IBS. Therefore, CD should be excluded in IBS patients. A considerable proportion of CD patients suffer from IBS symptoms despite adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD). The inflammation caused by gluten intake may not completely subside in some CD patients. It is not clear that gluten triggers the symptoms in NCGS, but there is compelling evidence that carbohydrates (fructans and galactans) in wheat does. It is likely that NCGS patients are a group of self-diagnosed IBS patients who self-treat by adhering to a GFD.

Interaction between ingested nutrients and gut endocrine cells in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (review)

Several endocrine cell abnormalities have been reported in different segments of the gastrointestinal tract of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). These cells have specialized microvilli that project into the lumen; they function as sensors for the gut contents and respond to luminal stimuli (mostly ingested nutrients) by releasing hormones into the lamina propria, where they exert their effects via a paracrine/endocrine mode of action. Certain food items trigger the symptoms experienced by IBS patients, including those rich in fermentable oligo-, di- and monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs). In this review, we present the argument that the effects of both FODMAPs and the proportional intake of proteins, fats and carbohydrates on IBS symptoms may be caused by an interaction with the gut endocrine cells. Since the gut hormones control and regulate gastrointestinal motility and sensation, this interaction may be responsible for abnormal gastrointestinal motility and the visceral hypersensitivity observed in these patients. There is no consistent evidence that IBS patients suffer from food allergy. The role of gluten intolerance in the development of IBS symptoms in these patients remains a matter of controversy. Individual guidance on food management, which includes restrictions in the intake of FODMAP-rich foods and testing diets with different proportions of proteins, fats and carbohydrates has been found to reduce the symptoms, improve the quality of life, and make the habitual diet of IBS patients more healthy.

Duodenal chromogranin a cell density as a biomarker for the diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome

Background and Aim. Chromogranin A (CgA) is a common marker for endocrine cells. The density of duodenal CgA cells is reduced in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Methods. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the density of duodenal CgA as a biomarker for the diagnosis of IBS. Two hundred and three patients with IBS were recruited (180 females and 23 males; mean age, 36 years; range, 18-66 years). The control group comprised 86 healthy subjects without gastrointestinal complaints (77 females and 9 males; mean age, 38 years; range, 18-67 years). Biopsy samples were taken from the duodenum during gastroscopy. Sections from these biopsy samples were immunostained for CgA using the avidin-biotin complex (ABC) method. CgA cell density was quantified by computerized image analysis. Results. The CgA cell density was lower in IBS-total and in all of the IBS subgroups than in the controls. The sensitivity and specificity for a cutoff of <200 cells/mm(2) were 86% and 95%, respectively. Conclusion. The duodenal CgA cell density seems to be a good biomarker for the diagnosis of IBS. It is an inexpensive, simple, and easy-to-use method that does not require sophisticated equipment or considerable experience.

Non-celiac wheat sensitivity: separating the wheat from the chat!

Historically, it has been reported that patients with undetected celiac disease (CD) may present with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) type symptoms. This has led to the recommendation by the American College of Gastroenterology Task force that patients presenting with diarrhea predominant IBS type symptoms should be serologically tested for CD. Concurrently speculative media data suggest that the US general public have increased their uptake of a gluten-free diet (GFD) far in excess of the known prevalence of CD. This may suggest that individuals with gastrointestinal symptoms are deriving benefit from a GFD even if they do not have CD. This has led to the scientific community considering the evidence for an emerging concept of non-celiac wheat sensitivity. There is a significant disparity in our views about what this phenomenon may be. There is also confusion about the nomenclature for this entity and indeed whether patients are suffering due to symptoms related to gluten or perhaps other components of wheat, for example fructans. In this month's edition of the American Journal of Gastroenterology, we see evidence to support the clinical concept of wheat sensitivity or intolerance. Irrespective of the nomenclature Carroccio provides a clinically applicable approach that may be adopted internationally by clinicians. This offers a new option in our armamentarium when seeing patients with IBS type symptoms.

Irritable bowel syndrome: Diagnosis and pathogenesis

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal (GI) disorder that considerably reduces the quality of life. It further represents an economic burden on society due to the high consumption of healthcare resources and the non-productivity of IBS patients. The diagnosis of IBS is based on symptom assessment and the Rome III criteria. A combination of the Rome III criteria, a physical examination, blood tests, gastroscopy and colonoscopy with biopsies is believed to be necessary for diagnosis. Duodenal chromogranin A cell density is a promising biomarker for the diagnosis of IBS. The pathogenesis of IBS seems to be multifactorial, with the following factors playing a central role in the pathogenesis of IBS: heritability and genetics, dietary/intestinal microbiota, low-grade inflammation, and disturbances in the neuroendocrine system (NES) of the gut. One hypothesis proposes that the cause of IBS is an altered NES, which would cause abnormal GI motility, secretions and sensation. All of these abnormalities are characteristic of IBS. Alterations in the NES could be the result of one or more of the following: genetic factors, dietary intake, intestinal flora, or low-grade inflammation. Post-infectious IBS (PI-IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease-associated IBS (IBD-IBS) represent a considerable subset of IBS cases. Patients with PI- and IBD-IBS exhibit low-grade mucosal inflammation, as well as abnormalities in the NES of the gut.

The irritable bowel syndrome-celiac disease connection

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorder that has a significant impact on quality of life and health care resources. Celiac disease (CD), a gluten-sensitive enteropathy, can be mistaken for IBS. This article discusses the connection between IBS and CD and the new concept of nonceliac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). NCGS may occur in the presence of a normal or near-normal small bowel biopsy. Some patients with IBS without CD may derive symptomatic benefit from a gluten-free diet. Future research could facilitate a significant impact on the quality of life in this potential subgroup of patients.

The prevalence of celiac disease in patients fulfilling Rome III criteria for irritable bowel syndrome

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Celiac disease shares several symptoms which constitute some of the ROME criteria used for the diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and as such many patients with underlying Celiac disease may be mistakenly diagnosed as having IBS. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of Celiac disease in patients with IBS fulfilling ROME III criteria.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients who fulfilled ROME III criteria for irritable bowel syndrome were screened for Celiac disease using the Biocard(TM) Celiac Disease Stick test, and patients who tested positive had their serum samples analyzed for antigliadin IgA and IgG, and anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA antibodies. Patients with detectable antibody levels underwent endoscopic duodenal biopsy to confirm a diagnosis of Celiac disease.

RESULTS

Two of 100 patients who were diagnosed as having irritable bowel syndrome as per the Roma III criteria were found to have elevated levels of serum antigliadin IgA and IgG, and anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA antibodies, with histological evidence of Celiac disease on examination of duodenal biopsy. Both patients were started on a gluten-free diet, showing significant improvement in their symptoms on follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Celiac disease is a common finding among patients labeled as IBS. Celiac disease must be considered in differential diagnosis of IBS especially in the therapy refractory group.

[Diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome]

The diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a clinical diagnosis, based on the Rome III criteria. The identification of alarm features (red flags), associated with an organic digestive pathology is a key point during the initial screening. Age over 50 years, blood in feces, and diarrhea seem to be the three most specific red flags. Biological and morphological examinations must be performed cautiously; their profitability is low in patients with Rome criteria. In the majority of clinical situations encountered in daily clinical practice, a positive diagnosis of IBS can be made.

Long-term health and quality-of-life consequences of mass screening for childhood celiac disease: a 10-year follow-up study

OBJECTIVE

Mass screening for celiac disease is controversial. The objective of this study was to determine whether detection of childhood celiac disease by mass screening improves long-term health status and health-related quality of life.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective 10-year follow-up study of 32 children who were aged 2 to 4 years, had celiac disease identified by mass screening, and had a gluten-free diet (19) or a normal gluten-containing diet (13). The follow-up included assessments of general health status, celiac disease-associated symptoms, celiac disease-associated serum antibodies, and health-related quality of life.

RESULTS

Ten years after mass screening, 81% of the children were adhering to a gluten-free diet. The health status improved in 66% of the treated children: in 41% by early treatment and in 25% by prevention of the gluten-dependent symptoms that they developed after diagnosis. For 19% of the children, treatment after screening would not have improved their health status, because they had no symptoms at screening and have remained symptom-free while consuming gluten. The health-related quality of life of the children with symptoms improved significantly after 1 year of gluten-free diet. Ten years after screening, the health-related quality of life of the children with celiac disease was similar to that of the reference population.

CONCLUSION

Identification by mass screening led 10 years later to health improvement in 66% of children without deterioration of generic health-related quality of life. There is a good compliance after mass screening. In a research setting, delaying treatment for children without symptoms seems to be an option after a positive screening test. Long-term follow-up studies are needed to assess possible long-term complications in untreated, nonsymptomatic celiac disease.