Blockers of Angiotensin Other Than Olmesartan in Patients With Villous Atrophy: A Nationwide Case-Control Study

Coeliac disease enteropathy and symptoms may be aggravated by angiotensin receptor blockers in patients on a gluten-free diet

Background

Angiotensin receptor blocker‐associated enteropathy (ARB‐e) is an increasingly recognised clinical entity with symptoms and histological findings identical to coeliac disease (CD). There is evidence to suggest immune‐mediated mucosal injury in ARB‐e with a high prevalence of DQ2/DQ8; however, as IgA anti‐tissue transglutaminase (anti‐TTG) is usually negative, an insult other than TTG‐mediated injury is suspected. The impact of ARBs on disease activity in patients with CD is not known.

Objective

To assess the effect of ARB exposure on patients with established CD.

Methods

A patient record search of 1142 individual patients attending a dedicated coeliac clinic from 2010 to the present identified 59 patients treated with ARB. Those with CD confirmed by serology (TTG + ve/EMA + ve) and histopathology (Marsh criteria) were included (n = 40, 0.52%). Data collected included disease duration, compliance with gluten‐free diet (GFD), reported symptoms (diarrhoea, weight loss and abdominal pain), surrogate markers of absorption (Vitamin D, Iron, Calcium and Haemoglobin), in addition to anti‐TTG titre and histological grade at last follow up. Patients were age and sex‐matched in a 1:2 ratio with CD patients not taking ARBs (controls), with comparable rates of disease duration and compliance with GFD.

Results

The ARB and control groups were matched in terms of age (mean 66.2 years) and gender (female 63%). Strict compliance with GFD was reported in 55% and 56%, respectively. Persistent symptoms were reported in 10/40 (25%) of the ARB group compared with 7/82 (9%) of controls (p = 0.0181). There were lower rates of mucosal healing (Marsh grade 0) in the ARB group (36% n = 11) compared to controls (55%, n = 33). There was no significant difference in anti‐TTG titres. Surrogate markers of absorption were comparable across the groups, except for Vitamin D which was lower in those taking olmesartan (p = 0.0015).

Conclusions

ARBs may aggravate the enteropathy and lead to increased symptoms in patients with bone fide diagnosed CD following a GFD.

Summarise the estabished knowledge on this subject

Angiotensin receptor blocker‐associated enteropathy (ARB‐e) is an increasingly recognised clinical entity with symptoms and histological findings identical to coeliac disease (CD).

The exact cause of mucosal injury in ARB‐e is unknown however there is evidence to suggest immune‐mediated mucosal injury in ARB‐e with a high prevalence of DQ2/DQ8, however as anti‐tissue transglutaminase (TTG) is usually negative, an insult other than TTG‐mediated injury is suspected. The impact of ARBs on disease activity in patients with CD is not known.

What are the significance and/or new findins of this study?

Coeliac patients who take ARBs are more likely to have persistent symptoms and lower rates of mucosal healing than their age‐matched coeliac controls. This observation appears to be independent of TTG mediated injury, akin to that reported in non‐coeliac populations.

ARB use in patients with established coeliac disease may confound the interpretation of clinical and histological response to a gluten‐free diet.

70-year-old woman with chronic diarrhea

We present the clinical case of a seventy-year-old female patient with hypertension in treatment with olmesartan since one year ago and no other past medical history of interest. She was hospitalized in the internal medicine department in order to study constitutional symptoms which consisted of confirmed weight loss of 13 kg, chronic diarrhea, loss of appetite, asthenia, and intermittent colic-like abdominal pain. After an initial screening for neoplastic disease, other possible options were considered.

Olmesartan-associated duodenal villous atrophy, an emerging clinical issue

Duodenal villous atrophy with olmesartan was described in 2012, 10 years following registration of olmesartan. Clinical features are severe watery diarrhoea, usually occurring in association with weight loss. Onset is delayed, with a mean duration of prior exposure to olmesartan of 3 years. Diagnosis may be delayed. Symptoms resolve over weeks following cessation of olmesartan. Epidemiological studies suggest increased risk with olmesartan, rather than a class effect of all angiotensin receptor blockers. Post-marketing surveillance for drug safety remains important.

Angiotensin II receptor blockers and gastrointestinal adverse events of resembling sprue-like enteropathy: a systematic review

Background

Olmesartan, an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), is associated with gastrointestinal symptoms resembling sprue-like enteropathy. Some have proposed that enteropathy may be a class effect rather than olmesartan-specific. We performed a systematic review to identify literature of sprue-like enteropathy for all ARBs.

Methods

Case reports, case series and comparative studies of ARBs were searched on PubMed and Embase databases through 21 November 2018 and then assessed.

Results

A total of 82 case reports and case series as well as 5 comparative studies, including 248 cases, were selected and analysed. The ARBs listed in the case reports were olmesartan (233 users; 94.0%), telmisartan (5 users; 2.0%), irbesartan (4 users; 1.6%), valsartan (3 users; 1.2%), losartan (2 users; 0.8%) and eprosartan (1 user; 0.4%). The periods between ARB initiation and onset of symptoms ranged from 2 weeks to 13 years. Histologic results were reported in 218 cases, in which 201 cases (92.2%) were villous atrophy and 131 cases (60.1%) were intraepithelial lymphocytosis. Human leucocyte antigen (HLA) testing was performed in 147 patients, among whom 105 (71.4%) had HLA-DQ2 or HLA-DQ8 haplotypes. Celiac-associated antibodies were tested in 169 patients, among whom 167 (98.8%) showed negative results. Gluten exclusion from the diet failed to relieve symptoms of enteropathy in 127 (97.7%) of 130 patients with information. Complete remission of symptoms after discontinuation of ARB was reported in 233 (97.4%) of the 239 patients with information. Seven cases (2.8%) reported recurrence of symptoms after restarting olmesartan; rechallenge was not reported for the non-olmesartan ARBs. The retrospective studies conducted worldwide had inconsistent study designs (e.g. differences in periods of study and case definition) and findings.

Conclusions

Although enteropathy is rare, clinicians should remain vigilant of this potential adverse event even years after medication initiation.

Factors associated with villus atrophy in symptomatic coeliac disease patients on a gluten-free diet

BACKGROUND

Duodenal injury persists in some coeliac disease patients despite gluten-free diet, and is associated with adverse outcomes.

AIM

To determine the prevalence and clinical risk factors for persistent villus atrophy among symptomatic coeliac disease patients.

METHODS

A nested cross-sectional analysis was performed on coeliac disease patients with self-reported moderate or severe symptoms while following a gluten-free diet, who underwent protocol-mandated duodenal biopsy upon enrolment in the CeliAction clinical trial. Demographic factors, symptom type, medication use, and serology were examined to determine predictors of persistent villus atrophy.

RESULTS

Of 1345 symptomatic patients, 511 (38%, 95% CI, 35-41%) were found to have active coeliac disease with persistent villus atrophy, defined as average villus height to crypt depth ratio ≤2.0. On multivariable analysis, older age (OR, 5.1 for ≥70 vs. 18-29 years, 95% CI, 2.5-10.4) was a risk factor while longer duration on gluten-free diet was protective (OR, 0.37, 95% CI, 0.24-0.55 for 4-5.9 vs. 1-1.9 years). Villus atrophy was associated with use of proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs; OR, 1.6, 95% CI, 1.1-2.3), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs; OR, 1.64, 95% CI, 1.2-2.2), and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs; OR, 1.74, 95% CI, 1.2-2.5). Symptoms were not associated with villus atrophy after adjusting for covariates. Conclusions A majority of symptomatic coeliac disease patients did not have active disease on follow-up histology. Symptoms were poorly predictive of persistent mucosal injury. The impact of NSAIDs, PPIs, and SSRIs on mucosal healing in coeliac disease warrants further study.

Does Celiac Disease Influence Survival in Sepsis? A Nationwide Longitudinal Study

Background

Individuals with celiac disease (CD) are at increased risk of sepsis. The aim of this study was to examine whether CD influences survival in sepsis of bacterial origin.

Methods

Nationwide longitudinal registry-based study. Through data on small intestinal biopsies from Sweden’s 28 pathology departments, we identified 29,096 individuals with CD (villous atrophy, Marsh stage III). Each individual with CD was matched with five population-based controls. Among these, 5,470 had a record of sepsis according to the Swedish Patient Register (1,432 celiac individuals and 4,038 controls). Finally we retrieved data on mortality in sepsis patients through the Swedish Cause of Death Registry.

Results

CD was associated with a 19% increase in overall mortality after sepsis (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.09–1.29), with the highest relative risk occurring in children (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 1.62; 95%CI = 0.67–3.91). However, aHR for death from sepsis was lower (aHR = 1.10) and failed to reach statistical significance (95%CI = 0.72–1.69). CD did not influence survival within 28 days after sepsis (aHR = 0.98; 95%CI = 0.80–1.19).

Conclusions

Although individuals with CD seem to be at an increased risk of overall death after sepsis, that excess risk does not differ from the general excess mortality previously seen in celiac patients in Sweden. CD as such does not seem to influence short-term or sepsis-specific survival in individuals with sepsis and therefore is not an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in sepsis.

No increased mortality in 109,000 first-degree relatives of celiac individuals

BACKGROUND

Several studies have shown an excess mortality in individuals with celiac disease (CD). However, it is unknown if also first-degree relatives (FDRs) to celiac patients are at increased risk of death.

AIM

We aimed to assess mortality in FDRs to celiac patients.

METHODS

Individuals with CD were identified through biopsy reports (equal to Marsh grade III). Each celiac individual was matched on sex, age, county and calendar year with up to five control individuals. Through Swedish healthcare registries we identified all FDRs (father, mother, sibling, offspring) of CD individuals and controls. Through Cox regression we calculated hazard ratios (HRs) for mortality (all-cause death, circulatory, cancer and other).

RESULTS

We identified 109,309 FDRs of celiac individuals and 549,098 FDRs of controls. Overall mortality was increased in FDRs to celiac individuals (HR=1.02, 95%CI=1.00-1.04, p=0.03). This corresponded to an excess risk of 5.9 deaths per 100,000 person-years of follow-up. When limiting follow-up to time since celiac diagnosis in the index individual, we found no increased risk of death (HR=1.01; 95%CI=0.98-1.03).

CONCLUSION

FDRs to individuals with CD are at increased risk of death. This excess risk is however minimal and unlikely to be of any clinical importance to the individual.