The prevalence of coeliac disease is significantly higher in children compared with adults

A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study of Paediatric Coeliac Disease in Catalonia Showed a Downward Trend in Prevalence Compared to the Previous Decade

(1) Background: Previous studies showed an increased prevalence and incidence of coeliac disease (CD) over time. The objective is to ascertain whether the CD prevalence in Catalonia (a region of Southern Europe) among children aged 1-5 is as high as previously found in 2004-2009; (2) Methods: From 2013 to 2019, 3659 subjects aged 1-5 years were recruited following the previously used methodology. Factors with a potential impact on CD prevalence were investigated; (3) Results: In 2013-2019, 43/3659 subjects had positive serology, giving a standardised seroprevalence of 12.55/1000 (95% CI: 8.92; 17.40), compared to 23.62 (13.21; 39.40) in 2004-2007. The biopsy-proven crude prevalence was 7.92/1000 (95% CI: 5.50; 11.30), and the crude prevalence based on ESPGHAN criteria was 8.74/1000 (95% CI: 6.20-12.30). In contrast to 2004-2009, we did not find differences in the seroprevalence rates between 1 and 2 years vs. 3 and 4 years of age (age percentage of change -7.0 (-29.5; 22.8) vs. -45.3 (-67.5; -8.0)). Rotavirus vaccination was the most remarkable potential protective factor (48% vs. 9% in 2004-2009; p < 0.0001), but not the time of gluten introduction. (4) Conclusion: The present study did not confirm a worldwide CD prevalence increase and emphasizes the need to perform prevalence studies over time using the same methodology in the same geographical areas.

Rapid Anti-tTG-IgA Screening Test for Early Diagnosis of Celiac Disease in Pediatric Populations

A large number of patients with celiac disease (CD) remain undiagnosed because they do not fulfill the criteria for entry into the conventional diagnostic workflow. This study evaluated the clinical utility of anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA antibody lateral flow immunoassays (anti-tTG-IgA LFIA) in the undiagnosed-CD-based pediatric population and the impact of a gluten-free diet (GFD) on screening-detected CD. A total of 576 volunteers were tested for anti-tTG-IgA. Gluten consumption habits, CD related symptoms, and risk factors for CD development were evaluated. Volunteers testing positive for anti-tTG-IgA were referred to the conventional CD diagnostic workflow, and the impact of the GFD on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) was measured. Among them, 13 had a positive anti-tTG-IgA LFIA test result: 11 had confirmed CD (1.91%), one refused confirmatory tests, and another is undergoing diagnosis. Regarding the CD prevalence, no significant differences were observed among risk (1.89%) and symptomatic (2.65%) groups and the entire tested population (1.55%). Rapid anti-tTG-IgA LFIAs could be of clinical utility in primary care for the early identification of children with CD unidentified by the conventional diagnostic workflow. It could potentially reduce the costs of undiagnosed CD, avoiding unnecessary referrals to gastroenterologists, reducing diagnosis delays and long-term problems, and improving patients' HR-QoL.

Nutritional Composition of Breakfast in Children and Adolescents with and without Celiac Disease in Spain-Role of Gluten-Free Commercial Products

Eating a nutritionally balanced breakfast can be a challenge when following a gluten-free diet (GFD). We assessed the ingredients and nutrient composition of 364 gluten-free breakfast products (GFPs) and 348 gluten-containing counterparts (GCCs), and we analysed the nutritional quality of breakfast in a group of Spanish children and adolescents with celiac disease (CD) (n = 70), as compared to controls (n = 67). Food intakes were estimated using three 24 h dietary records. The composition of GFPs and GCCs was retrieved from the package labels of commercially available products. Most participants (98.5%) ate breakfast daily, and only one person in each group skipped breakfast once. The breakfast contribution of the total daily energy was 19% in participants with CD and 20% in controls. CD patients managed a balanced breakfast in terms of energy (54% from carbohydrates; 12% from proteins; 34% from lipids) and key food groups (cereals, dairy, fruits), but their intake of fruits needs improvement. Compared to controls, breakfast in the CD group provided less protein and saturated fat, a similar amount of carbohydrates and fibre, and more salt. Fibre is frequently added to GFPs, but these contain less protein because of the flours used in formulation. Gluten-free bread contains more fat and is more saturated than is GCC. Sugars, sweets, and confectionery contribute more to energy and nutrient intakes in participants with CD, while grain products do so in controls. Overall, breakfast on a GFD can be adequate, but can be improved by GFPs reformulation and a lower consumption of processed foods.

Factors Associated With Adherence to a Gluten-Free Diet in Celiac Patients Diagnosed in Childhood as Compared to Adulthood

Past studies have reported differences between pediatric and adult celiac disease patients. We aimed to compare factors associated with adherence to a gluten-free diet between these groups. An anonymous online questionnaire was sent via the Israeli Celiac Association and social networks to celiac patients. The Biagi questionnaire was used to assess dietary adherence. A total of 445 subjects participated. Mean age was 25.7 ± 17.5 years and 71.9% were female. Subjects were divided into six groups according to age at diagnosis: younger than 6 years (134 patients, 30.7%), 6-12 (79 patients, 18.1%), 12-18 (41 patients, 9.4%), 18-30 (81 patients, 18.5%), 30-45 (79 patients, 18.1%), and 45 years and above (23 patients, 5.3%). There were several significant differences between childhood- and adulthood-diagnosed patients. Pediatric patients were less likely to be noncompliant with a gluten-free diet (3.7% vs. 9.4%, p < .001). They were also more frequently followed by a gastroenterologist ( p < .001), a dietitian ( p < .001), and participated in a celiac support group ( p = .002). In logistic regression analyses, longer duration of disease was associated with poor compliance. In conclusion, pediatric-diagnosed celiac patients are more adherent to a gluten-free diet than those diagnosed in adulthood, with better social support and nutritional follow-up possibly contributing.

Role of age in dynamics of autoantibodies in pediatric Celiac disease

BACKGROUND

Celiac disease (CD) is characterized by elevated serum titers of autoantibodies IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase 2 (TGA-IgA) and IgA anti-endomysial (EMA), with small bowel mucosa atrophy. We evaluated age differences between CD children exhibiting variable antibody titers at diagnosis.

METHODS

CD children diagnosed between January 2014 and June 2019, according to 2012 ESPGHAN guidelines were studied. All had EMA and TGA-IgA measurements, while a proportion of them underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). Patients were grouped based on serum TGA-IgA titers normalized to the upper limit of normal (ULN) and differences in median age (years) assessed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and creation of orthogonal contrasts.

RESULTS

CD was diagnosed in 295 subjects (median age: 4.4 [IQR: 2.60-8.52]) with a biopsy sparing protocol (high titer: ≥ 10xULN) and in 204 by EGD biopsy. Of the latter, 142 (median age: 8.5 [IQR: 5.81-11.06]) and 62 (median age: 9.5 [IQR: 6.26-12.76]) had a low (< 5xULN) and a moderate (≥ 5 < 10xULN) TGA-IgA titer, respectively. Potential CD was diagnosed in 20 patients (median age: 3.6 [IQR: 2.47-6.91]). The median age was significantly lower in the no-biopsy group (ANOVA: F_{(3, 516)} = 25.98, p < .001) than in low- and moderate titer groups (p < 0.0001), while there was no statistical difference between biopsy-sparing and potential CD groups.

CONCLUSION

CD patients with greatly elevated antibody titers (≥ 10xULN) were diagnosed at an earlier age than those with lower titers. This may indicate that an increase in TGA-IgA is independent of age and suggests a polarization of autoimmunity in younger individuals with higher serum antibody levels.

Dynamics of the gut microbiome, IgA response, and plasma metabolome in the development of pediatric celiac disease

BACKGROUND

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten consumption. Almost all CD patients possess human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DQ2/DQ8 haplotypes; however, only a small subset of individuals carrying these alleles develop CD, indicating the role of environmental factors in CD pathogenesis. The main objective of this study was to determine the contributory role of gut microbiota and microbial metabolites in CD onset. To this end, we obtained fecal samples from a prospective cohort study (ABIS) at ages 2.5 and 5 years. Samples were collected from children who developed CD after the final sample collection (CD progressors) and healthy children matched by age, HLA genotype, breastfeeding duration, and gluten-exposure time (n=15-16). We first used 16S sequencing and immunoglobulin-A sequencing (IgA-seq) using fecal samples obtained from the same children (i) 16 controls and 15 CD progressors at age 2.5 and (ii) 13 controls and 9 CD progressors at age 5. We completed the cytokine profiling, and plasma metabolomics using plasma samples obtained at age 5 (n=7-9). We also determined the effects of one microbiota-derived metabolite, taurodeoxycholic acid (TDCA), on the small intestines and immune cell composition in vivo.

RESULTS

CD progressors have a distinct gut microbiota composition, an increased IgA response, and unique IgA targets compared to healthy subjects. Notably, 26 plasma metabolites, five cytokines, and one chemokine were significantly altered in CD progressors at age 5. Among 26 metabolites, we identified a 2-fold increase in TDCA. TDCA treatment alone caused villous atrophy, increased CD4+ T cells, Natural Killer cells, and two important immunoregulatory proteins, Qa-1 and NKG2D expression on T cells while decreasing T-regulatory cells in intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) in C57BL/6J mice.

CONCLUSIONS

Pediatric CD progressors have a distinct gut microbiota composition, plasma metabolome, and cytokine profile before diagnosis. Furthermore, CD progressors have more IgA-coated bacteria and unique targets of IgA in their gut microbiota. TDCA feeding alone stimulates an inflammatory immune response in the small intestines of C57BJ/6 mice and causes villous atrophy, the hallmark of CD. Thus, a microbiota-derived metabolite, TDCA, enriched in CD progressors' plasma, has the potential to drive inflammation in the small intestines and enhance CD pathogenesis. Video Abstract.

Red Cell Distribution Width as a Predictive Factor of Celiac Disease in Middle and Late Adulthood and Its Potential Utility as Celiac Disease Screening Criterion

Red cell distribution width (RDW) could be of interest by its potential use in the assessment of celiac disorder (CD). The main objective of this study was to evaluate the case positive rate of CD and the utility of red cell distribution width (RDW) in the CD diagnosis. This prospective study included 9.066 middle adult (≥45 years old) and elderly patients (≥60 years old) from 2012 to 2021. CD diagnosis was performed by CD antibody tests (serology and Human Leucocyte Antigen genotype (HLA)) and biopsy. Gastrointestinal and extra-intestinal manifestations as well as hematological and biochemical parameters were analyzed. CD diagnoses were confirmed in 101 patients (median (IQR) age = 62 (52.3−73); 68.32% women) by serologic tests (100%) and intestinal biopsy (88.12%), showing mainly marked or complete atrophy (76.24%, MARSH 3a−c). Anemia was the most commonly presenting extra-intestinal manifestation (28.57%). Among 8975 individuals without CD, 168 age and sex matched were included. By comparison of CD and no CD individuals, we observed that high >14.3% RDW was exhibited by 58.40% and 35.2% individuals with CD and without CD, respectively. Furthermore, high RDW is associated with CD and grade III atrophy. We suggest that RDW could be used as a CD screening criterion.

Personalised Nutritional Plan and Resistance Exercise Program to Improve Health Parameters in Celiac Women

Celiac disease (CD) is a permanent immune reaction to gluten in those with a genetic predisposition. This study was designed to evaluate menopause-associated symptoms, mood, bone quality, and IgA antibody levels in women with CD, untreated and treated with a gluten-free diet (GFD), and with or without resistance exercise. The randomised controlled trial was conducted on 28 Spanish women (>40 years old). Participants were divided into the following intervention groups: personalised gluten-free nutrition plan + exercise (GFD + E); personalised gluten-free nutrition plan (GFD); celiac controls (NO-GFD); and non-celiac controls (CONTROL). The participants responded to the Menopause Rating Scale and the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaires. Bone quality was measured with ultrasound and IgA with a blood test. After 12 weeks of intervention, the GFD + E group showed significant improvement in urogenital symptoms and scored higher on the ‘vigour’ subscale of the POMS. Negative associations were found between the total score on the Menopause Rating Scale and the ‘vigour’ subscale of the POMS questionnaire. Only those women who underwent a personalised GFD nutritional intervention combined with resistance exercise demonstrated significant changes after the intervention.

Seroprevalence of Anti-tTg-IgA among Symptomized Celiac Disease Patients and Their Correlation with Rotavirus Infection

Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder in the intestinal tract as a response to the use of gluten in genetically predisposed individuals. It is a worldwide problem, with a high prevalence rate in North America. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study involving 1090 samples collected from different hospitals of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan, from January 2019 to December 2019. In this study, 1090 blood samples screened for seroprevalence of anti-tTG antibodies in CD symptomatic patients via ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). 1090 fecal samples from the same CD patients were collected and tested for the presence of rotavirus (RV) via ELISA and RT-PCR. Of the 1090 patients tested for seroprevalence of anti-tTG antibodies, 112/1090 (10.3%) were found to be positive. Of the 112 anti-tTG-positive patients, 78/112 (70%) were positive for RV via ELISA and 74/112 (66.1%) were RV positive via RT-PCR. A statistically significant association was reported between rotavirus infection and celiac disease (p˂0.05). Anti-tTG antibodies were higher in age group 6 (12-18 years) patients (18.4%) and at minimum in age group 3 (1-3 years) patients (4.8%). However, there was a statistically insignificant relationship between group age and CD prevalence (p > 0.05). The highest CD prevalence was noted during winter season (19.6%) and the lowest (3.0%) during fall/autumn. Our study findings demonstrate that Pakistan has a high prevalence of CD compared to other studies. Further studies in the fields of environmental risk factors and treatment with more advanced serological and histopathological studies are needed in the future.

Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome in Adulthood: Clinical Characteristics, Prognosis, and Risk Factors

BACKGROUND

Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) in adults is being increasingly recognized; however, little is known about its characteristics.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the clinical characteristics, prognosis, and associated factors in adult FPIES.

METHODS

A 10-year prospective study was conducted in the Allergy Section of Alicante General Hospital in adults diagnosed with FPIES. Detailed interviews with patients and oral food challenges (OFCs) were performed to confirm diagnosis or evaluate for tolerance. Comorbidities and possible risk factors were analyzed retrospectively through electronic medical records to assess their association with the disease.

RESULTS

One hundred and seven adults with FPIES (93.5% female) were followed for a median of 6.2 years. Abdominal pain was the most common manifestation (96.3%), followed by diarrhea (72%) and vomiting (60.7%). Seafood (59.8%), egg (14%), and milk (10.3%) were the most common triggers, whereas 43.9% reacted to more than 1 food group. We performed 49 OFCs: 9 to confirm diagnosis and 40 to evaluate for tolerance. After a median 3.5 years, 16.8% achieved tolerance. Resolution was correlated inversely with duration of the disease (P = .04) and seafood (P = .023) but not with age of onset. The prevalence of gastrointestinal pathologies such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), eosinophilic esophagitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and celiac disease was higher than in the general population. A higher number of FPIES triggers were correlated with also having a diagnosis of IBS (P = .02).

CONCLUSIONS

Although adult FPIES normally persists, some patients achieve tolerance. Adults with FPIES have a relatively high prevalence of gastrointestinal pathologies. The predominance of women may be related to hormonal factors. The clinical differences with pediatric FPIES warrant a revision of diagnostic criteria in adults.

Biomarkers to Monitor Adherence to Gluten-Free Diet by Celiac Disease Patients: Gluten Immunogenic Peptides and Urinary miRNAs

Celiac disease (CD) is a multifactorial autoimmune enteropathy with a prevalence greater than 1% in the pediatric population. The only therapy for CD patients is a strict gluten-free diet (GFD). Gluten-free food contamination by other cereals during packaging and cooking or accidental ingestion of gluten may cause several intestinal and extraintestinal symptoms in CD patients. Therefore, the monitoring of gluten contamination in food and assessing the level of ingested gluten by analytical biomarkers has been of great interest in recent years. To this aim, small gluten immunogenic peptides (GIPs) obtained by the hydrolysis of gluten and present in urine and feces have been studied as biomarkers of gluten intake and to monitor adherence to GFD by CD patients. More recently, the use of circulating, fecal and urinary miRNAs has emerged as a novel diagnostic tool that can be potentially applied to assess adherence to GFD. Moreover, the presence of GIPs and miRNAs in both feces and urine suggests a similar excretion modality and the possibility of using urinary miRNAs, similarly to GIPs, as potential biomarkers of GFD in CD patients.

Activated gut-homing CD8+ T cells for coeliac disease diagnosis on a gluten-free diet

BACKGROUND

The diagnosis of coeliac disease (CD) in individuals that have started a gluten-free diet (GFD) without an adequate previous diagnostic work-out is a challenge. Several immunological assays such as IFN-γ ELISPOT have been developed to avoid the need of prolonged gluten challenge to induce the intestinal damage. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of activated gut-homing CD8⁺ and TCRγδ⁺ T cells in blood after a 3-day gluten challenge and to compare it with the performance of IFN-γ ELISPOT in a HLA-DQ2.5 subsample.

METHODS

A total of 22 CD patients and 48 non-CD subjects, all of them following a GFD, underwent a 3-day 10-g gluten challenge. The percentage of two T cell subsets (CD8⁺ CD103⁺ β7^hi CD38⁺/total CD8⁺ and TCRγδ⁺ CD103⁺ β7^hi CD38⁺/total TCRγδ⁺) in fresh peripheral blood drawn baseline and 6 days after the challenge was determined by flow cytometry. IFN-γ ELISPOT assays were also performed in HLA-DQ2.5 participants. ROC curve analysis was used to assess the diagnostic performance of the CD8⁺ T cell response and IFN-γ ELISPOT.

RESULTS

Significant differences between the percentage of the two studied subsets of CD8⁺ and TCRγδ⁺ cells at days 0 and 6 were found only when considering CD patients (p < 10^-3 vs. non-CD subjects). Measuring activated CD8⁺ T cells provided accurate CD diagnosis with 95% specificity and 97% sensitivity, offering similar results than IFN-γ ELISPOT.

CONCLUSIONS

The results provide a highly accurate blood test for CD diagnosis in patients on a GFD of easy implementation in daily clinical practice.

Systematic review and meta-analysis: the incidence and prevalence of paediatric coeliac disease across Europe

BACKGROUND

Coeliac disease is one of the most prevalent immune-mediated gastrointestinal disorders in children.

AIM

To review the incidence and prevalence of paediatric coeliac disease, and their trends, regionally across Europe, overall and according to age at diagnosis.

METHODS

Systematic review and meta-analysis from January 1, 1950 to December 31, 2019, based on PubMed, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library, searches of grey literature and websites and hand searching of reference lists. A total of 127 eligible studies were included.

RESULTS

The prevalence of previously undiagnosed coeliac disease from screening surveys (histology based) ranged from 0.10% to 3.03% (median = 0.70%), with a significantly increasing annual trend (P = 0.029). Prevalence since 2000 was significantly higher in northern Europe (1.60%) than in eastern (0.98%), southern (0.69%) and western (0.60%) Europe. Large increases in the incidence of diagnosed coeliac disease across Europe have reached 50 per 100 000 person-years in Scandinavia, Finland and Spain. The median age at diagnosis increased from 1.9 years before 1990 to 7.6 since 2000. Larger increases in incidence were found in older age groups than in infants and ages <5 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Paediatric coeliac disease incidence and prevalence have risen across Europe and appear highest in Scandinavia, Finland and Spain. The most recent evidence shows large increases in incidence in most regions, but stabilisation in some (notably Sweden and Finland). Sharp increases in the age at diagnosis may reflect increases in milder and asymptomatic cases diagnosed since reliable serology testing became widely used, through endomysial antibodies after 1990 and tissue transglutaminase antibodies around 2000.

Wheat consumption and prevalence of celiac disease: Correlation from a multilevel analysis

Celiac disease (CD) is triggered by both genetic and environmental factors. More than 1% of the world's population is affected by CD. In recent years, studies have confirmed a worldwide rising trend in CD prevalence. "Westernized diet" is one of the main factors of this increasing prevalence. However, the relationship between wheat consumption, its dynamics, and CD has not been adequately investigated on a global scale. This study aimed to perform a multilevel analysis of the association between wheat consumption and CD. Wheat consumption data from countries and continents were obtained from the database. The relative increase/decrease in wheat consumption over a long period (since 1961) and a short period (since 2004) were calculated using various statistical tools. The relationship between wheat consumption and celiac frequency was determined using the R-commander R package version 2.6-2. Pearson's correlation coefficient (r = 0.88) confirmed a high positive correlation between wheat consumption and the prevalence of biopsy-proven CD by estimating continent-wide wheat consumption data, but an insignificant correlation was found when the data were compared country-wide.

Intraepithelial Lymphocyte Cytometric Pattern Is a Useful Diagnostic Tool for Coeliac Disease Diagnosis Irrespective of Degree of Mucosal Damage and Age-A Validation Cohort

Introduction: The study of intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) by flow cytometry is a useful tool in the diagnosis of coeliac disease (CD). Previous data showed that an increase in %TCRγδ⁺ and decrease of %CD3⁻ IEL constitute a typical CD cytometric pattern with a specificity of 100%. However, there are no data regarding whether there are differences in the %TCRγδ⁺ related to sex, age, titers of serology, and degree of histological lesion. Study aims: To confirm the high diagnostic accuracy of the coeliac cytometric patterns. To determine if there are differences between sex, age, serology titers, and histological lesion grade. Results: We selected all patients who fulfilled “4 of 5” rule for CD diagnosis (n = 169). There were no differences in %TCRγδ⁺ between sexes (p = 0.909), age groups (p = 0.986), serology titers (p = 0.53) and histological lesion grades (p = 0.41). The diagnostic accuracy of complete CD cytometric pattern was: specificity 100%, sensitivity 82%, PPV 100%, NPV 47%. Conclusion: We confirmed, in a validation cohort, the high diagnostic accuracy of complete CD pattern irrespective of sex, age, serology titers, and grade of mucosal lesion.

Influence of Compliance to Diet and Self-Efficacy Expectation on Quality of Life in Patients with Celiac Disease in Spain

The purpose of this study is to understand the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with celiac disease (CD) and analyze its main determinants. A transversal descriptive study of 738 patients with celiac disease was carried out. A series of questionnaires were answered related to their HRQoL, adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD), and self-efficacy beliefs among other relevant variables. Regression analyses were carried out in order to explore the predictive variables in adherence to the GFD and HRQoL. A total of 61.2% showed a good HRQoL, and the main predictors of HRQoL were specific self-efficacy, adherence to the diet, risk perception, time since diagnosis, and age. While 68.7% of participants showed good or excellent adherence to the GFD, and the main predictors of adherence were specific self-efficacy, perceived adoption of recommended behaviors, HRQoL and gender. The HRQoL of patients with CD, and adherence to the GFD in Spain, are good. It is the self-efficacy expectation, measured specifically and not generally, which is the best predictor of both adherence and HRQoL. It is necessary to develop programs to improve the HRQoL of patients with CD that focus on improving specific self-efficacy.

Williams-Beuren Syndrome and celiac disease: A real association?

Celiac disease (CD) screening in patients with Williams-Beuren Syndrome (WBS) is suggested, although data described in literature are discordant regarding CD prevalence in WBS. We retrospectively collected data from 101 WBS Italian patients [mean age: 13.5 years], to clarify the CD prevalence in a large cohort. All patients underwent a CD biochemical screening: IgA and anti-transglutaminase reflex antibodies (tTGA). CD-specific HLA typing was available for 42 patients. Small intestinal biopsy was performed in patients according to ESPGHAN guidelines. In 7 WBS patients an overt celiac disease was diagnosed. In 3 patients CD was confirmed by symptoms, HLA-DQ heterodimers and CD specific antibodies title, whereas in 4 patients, it was confirmed by a small intestinal biopsy. CD prevalence in our cohort is 6.9% (7/101). In 42/101 patients the CD-specific HLA typing was available, detecting 29/42 (69%) patients genetically predisposed to CD. The CD prevalence and CD-specific HLA prevalence are both higher than in the general population (p < 0.001; p < 0.001). Our cohort is the most numerous described confirming that the CD risk in WBS patients is significantly greater than in general population. Moreover, our HLA typing results, as well as scientific literature, suggest that the higher CD prevalence in WBS patients might not be intrinsically related to the genetic disease itself but with the higher HLA prevalence. However, HLA typing should be performed in bigger WBS cohorts to confirm this hypothesis. Our data confirms that HLA typing is mandatory in WBS patients and that CD screening should be performed only if genetically predisposed.

National survey on the experiences of people with celiac disease in Spain. The CELIAC-SPAIN project

INTRODUCTION

coeliac disease (CD) is well known, but not so its impact on the patient's life.

OBJECTIVE

to determine the impact of CD in the life of celiac patients on different aspects such as diagnosis, follow-up and treatment.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

associates of FACE participated in an auto-administered, telematic survey conducted between May and July, 2019. Three participant profiles have been defined: adults diagnosed in adulthood, adults diagnosed in childhood and parents/guardians of celiac children.

RESULTS

540 surveys (343 adult celiacs, 58 celiacs from children and 139 parents/guardians) from all autonomous communities have been included. In the diagnostic process highlights the diagnostic delay (up to 2 years) and the limitations to screening of family members. After diagnosis, about 20 % of adults do not refer to follow any control. Having a CD generates different reactions, but concern and quality of life limitation are very common. As for the gluten-free diet, 90 % of patients referred good adherence to treatment, which is accompanied by improved symptoms and weight gain. Diet tracking limits patients' daily lives. Gluten-free manufactured products are considered expensive, with unclear and unappealing labeling.

CONCLUSIONS

the results of the "CELIAC-SPAIN" project show that there are still many aspects to be improved in CD, both diagnosis and follow-up and in facilitating access to gluten-free products.

Exploring undiagnosed celiac disease in women with recurrent reproductive failure: The gluten-free diet could improve reproductive outcomes

PROBLEM

Which is the prevalence and seroprevalence of celiac disease (CD) in women with recurrent reproductive failure?

METHOD OF STUDY

Retrospective study performed in a single infertility clinic from September 2016 to December 2017. A total of 690 women with unexplained history of recurrent miscarriage and/or recurrent implantation failure were consecutively recruited. IgA anti-transglutaminase 2 (TG2) antibody data were collected, as well as IgG anti-TG2 and IgA/IgG anti-deamidated gluten peptide (DGP) data in most cases, and IgG anti-gliadin antibodies occasionally. In selected women, HLA-DQ genotyping was requested. Biopsy was suggested to all women with positive serological results or belonging to CD risk groups. Reproductive outcomes were recorded from women with high suspicion of CD and a control group comprised of 49 women.

RESULTS

Anti-TG2-positive women comprised 1% of the sample. An additional 4% was observed considering less-specific antibodies (31 women). Only 39% of sero-positive women accepted duodenal biopsy. HLA and biopsy data discarded CD in 14 sero-positive cases (37%), only one with anti-TG2 antibodies. CD was suggested in 10 sero-positive and three sero-negative women (1.9%). Compared with controls, the live birthrate of the studied women with probable CD was significantly decreased before gluten removal of the diet (P = .015), but significantly increased after that (P = .020).

CONCLUSION

One percent CD prevalence should be expected after anti-TG2 serological screening. However, more sensitive approaches should be explored, especially considering the potential beneficial effect of the gluten-free diet on the reproductive outcomes of women with CD.

Changing Pattern of Childhood Celiac Disease Epidemiology: Contributing Factors

Up until the 1960s and 1970s, diarrhea, malabsorption syndrome, and failure to thrive were the presenting symptoms and signs of celiac disease (CD) in young infants; however this disease was also at the same time reported to be disappearing. Indeed, clinical childhood CD was seen to transform into a milder form, resulting in an upward shift in age at diagnosis during the 1970s (and years later for many countries). This changing pattern of CD presentation then altered the epidemiology of the disease, with major differences between and within countries observed. An awareness of the changing clinical nature of CD and use of case-finding tools to detect even clinically silent CD became an important factor in this changing epidemiology. Countries report both low and high prevalence but it seems to be on the increase resulting in a population-based level of 1-2%. This paper discusses the potential causes and environmental factors behind these observed clinical changes, identifying new clues from different studies published at the time this transformation took place. For instance, it was found that breastfeeding postponed the diagnosis of the disease but did not altogether prevent it. Moreover, gluten introduction at a young age, specifically at the mean age of 2 months, seemed to also have a clear impact in inducing malabsorption syndrome and failure to thrive in young infants in addition to other factors such as gluten intake volume and type of cereal present in the weaning food. Further, the impact of cow's milk and its high osmolarity might have played an important role; humanized milk formulas were not yet invented. Future epidemiological studies on the contributing environmental factors to the shift in CD presentation are thus recommended for countries in which these changing clinical features are still being observed.

Prevalence of celiac disease in primary care: the need for its own code

BACKGROUND

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune chronic enteropathy of the small intestine caused by exposure to gluten in genetically predisposed individuals. CD is not easy to diagnose due to its unspecific symptomatology, especially in adults, a diagnosed/undiagnosed ratio of 1:7 is estimated. CD does not have its own code in the International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC) but it is coded under code D99 "Disease digestive system, other", which hinders diagnosis, intervention and research. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of CD in Aragón, Spain, using the information available from Primary Care, as well as to discuss the difficulties involved in determining prevalence of CD from data collected at this level of medical intervention.

METHODS

We designed an epidemiological cross-sectional study and analysed 26,964 electronic clinical records from the Aragonese Health Service under code ICPC D99 collected up to December 31st, 2016. The clinical records were classified by their editable field "descriptor" according to their probability of being related to CD. Analyses of gender, age, age at diagnosis, province and health sector were carried out.

RESULTS

We found 4534 clinical records under 293 different descriptors with a high probability of referring to CD. Prevalence in Aragón was estimated to be 0.35% ranging from 0.24 to 0.81% with important differences among health sectors.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of 0.35% is a long way from the generally accepted 1% but within the usually considered ratio 1:7 of diagnosed:undiagnosed cases. Differences among sectors should be carefully analysed. Lacking its own ICPC code, diagnosis of CD in Primary Care Services is not included in a single category, but it is distributed under several descriptors, which makes it difficult to offer any firm diagnosis for treatment and hinders research. Finally, the high prevalence of CD justifies its own ICPC code and the need to withdraw CD from the generic D99 code "Disease digestive system other".

Low Sensitivity of Simtomax Point of Care Test in Detection of Celiac Disease in a Prospective Multicenter Study

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Point of care tests (POCTs) might be used to identify patients with undiagnosed celiac disease who require further evaluation. We performed a large multicenter study to determine the performance of a POCT for celiac disease and assessed celiac disease prevalence in endoscopy centers.

METHODS

We performed a prospective study of 1055 patients (888 adults; median age, 48 yrs and 167 children; median age, 10 yrs) referred to 8 endoscopy centers in Germany, for various indications, from January 2016 through June 2017. Patients were tested for celiac disease using Simtomax, which detects immunoglobulin (Ig)A and IgG antibodies against deamidated gliadin peptides (DGP). Results were compared with findings from histologic analyses of duodenal biopsies (reference standard). The primary aim was to determine the accuracy of this POCT for the detection of celiac disease, to identify candidates for duodenal biopsy. A secondary aim was to determine the prevalence of celiac disease in adult and pediatric populations referred for outpatient endoscopic evaluation.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of celiac disease was 4.1%. The POCT identified individuals with celiac disease with 79% sensitivity (95% CI, 64%-89%) and 94% specificity (95% CI, 93%-96%). Positive and negative predictive values were 37% and 99%. When we analyzed the adult and pediatric populations separately, we found the test to identify adults with celiac disease (prevalence 1.2%) with 100% sensitivity and 95% specificity. In the pediatric population (celiac disease prevalence 19.6%), the test produced false-negative results for 9 cases; the test therefore identified children with celiac disease with 72% sensitivity (95% CI 53%-86%). Analyses of serologic data revealed significantly lower DGP titers in the false-negative vs the true-positive group.

CONCLUSIONS

In a study of more than 1000 adults and children, we found the Simtomax POCT to detect celiac disease with lower overall levels of sensitivity than expected. Although the test identifies adults with celiac disease with high levels of sensitivity and specificity, the prevalence of celiac disease was as low as 1.2% among adults. The test's lack of sensitivity might be due to the low intensity of the POCT bands and was associated with low serum DGP titers. Study ID no: DRKS00012499.

Gluten Free Wheat: Are We There?

Gluten proteins, major determinants of the bread-making quality of wheat, are related to several digestive disorders. Advances in plant genetic breeding have allowed the production of wheat lines with very low gliadin content through the use of RNAi and gene editing technologies. In this review, we carried out a comprehensive study of the application of these cutting-edge technologies towards the development of wheat lines devoid of immunogenic gluten, and their genetic, nutritional and clinical characterization. One line, named E82, showed outstanding nutritional properties, with very low immunogenic gluten and a low stimulation capacity of T-cells from celiac patients. Moreover, a clinical trial with non-celiac wheat sensitivity (NCWS) patients showed that the consumption of bread made with this E82 low gliadin line induced positive changes in the gut microbiota composition.

Coeliac disease

Coeliac disease is an immune-mediated enteropathy against dietary gluten present in wheat, rye and barley and is one of the most common lifelong food-related disorders worldwide. Coeliac disease is also considered to be a systemic disorder characterized by a variable combination of gluten-related signs and symptoms and disease-specific antibodies in addition to enteropathy. The ingestion of gluten leads to the generation of harmful gluten peptides, which, in predisposed individuals, can induce adaptive and innate immune responses. The clinical presentation is extremely variable; patients may have severe gastrointestinal symptoms and malabsorption, extraintestinal symptoms or have no symptoms at all. Owing to the multifaceted clinical presentation, diagnosis remains a challenge and coeliac disease is heavily underdiagnosed. The diagnosis of coeliac disease is achieved by combining coeliac disease serology and small intestinal mucosal histology during a gluten-containing diet. Currently, the only effective treatment for coeliac disease is a lifelong strict gluten-free diet; however, the diet is restrictive and gluten is difficult to avoid. Optimizing diagnosis and care in coeliac disease requires continuous research and education of both patients and health-care professionals.

Global Prevalence of Celiac Disease: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Celiac disease is a major public health problem worldwide. Although initially it was reported from countries with predominant Caucasian populations, it now has been reported from other parts of the world. The exact global prevalence of celiac disease is not known. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the global prevalence of celiac disease.

METHODS

We searched Medline, PubMed, and EMBASE for the keywords celiac disease, celiac, celiac disease, tissue transglutaminase antibody, anti-endomysium antibody, endomysial antibody, and prevalence for studies published from January 1991 through March 2016. Each article was cross-referenced with the words Asia, Europe, Africa, South America, North America, and Australia. The diagnosis of celiac disease was based on European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition guidelines. Of 3843 articles, 96 articles were included in the final analysis.

RESULTS

The pooled global prevalence of celiac disease was 1.4% (95% confidence interval, 1.1%-1.7%) in 275,818 individuals, based on positive results from tests for anti-tissue transglutaminase and/or anti-endomysial antibodies (called seroprevalence). The pooled global prevalence of biopsy-confirmed celiac disease was 0.7% (95% confidence interval, 0.5%-0.9%) in 138,792 individuals. The prevalence values for celiac disease were 0.4% in South America, 0.5% in Africa and North America, 0.6% in Asia, and 0.8% in Europe and Oceania; the prevalence was higher in female vs male individuals (0.6% vs 0.4%; P < .001). The prevalence of celiac disease was significantly greater in children than adults (0.9% vs 0.5%; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

In a systematic review and meta-analysis, we found celiac disease to be reported worldwide. The prevalence of celiac disease based on serologic test results is 1.4% and based on biopsy results is 0.7%. The prevalence of celiac disease varies with sex, age, and location. There is a need for population-based prevalence studies in many countries.

Case-finding in primary care for coeliac disease: Accuracy and cost-effectiveness of a rapid point-of-care test

Background

An on-site, rapid, fingertip, whole-blood point-of-care test (POCT) is attractive for active case-finding of coeliac disease (CD) in primary care because of its simplicity.

Aim

The aim of this article is to assess the usefulness and cost-effectiveness of adult case-finding using a POCT based on deamidated gliadin peptide antibodies (IgA/IgG-DGP) in primary care for CD diagnosis.

Methods

A case-finding study for CD was conducted by using an easy-to-use, on-site, whole-blood for IgA/IgG-DGP-based fingertip POCT compared with tTG2 in 350 individuals. Sample size was calculated based on 0.28% prevalence in the reference population. Duodenal biopsies for histology, intraepithelial lymphocytes and in situ deposition of tTG2 were obtained if tTG2 and/or POCT were positive. Accuracy and cost-effectiveness of strategies using serology or POCT were calculated.

Results

Prevalence of CD was 1.14% (95% CI, 0.3–3.4), almost double what was previously observed. Four patients were diagnosed with CD. tTG2 was positive in three (0.85%) and POCT in 29 (8.2%). Sensitivity of POCT for CD was 100%, specificity 93%, PPV 14%, and NPV 100%. POCT followed by duodenal biopsy was the most cost-effective approach in our setting (standard diagnosis: €13,033/case; POCT + duodenal biopsy: €7360/case).

Conclusions

A negative POCT allows ruling out CD in primary care, making it suitable for case-finding. POCT strategy was the most cost effective.

The Relationship Between Child Mortality Rates and Prevalence of Celiac Disease

OBJECTIVES

Some evidence suggests that prevalence of celiac disease in the general population is increasing over time. Because the prognosis of celiac disease was a dismal one before discovering the role of gluten, our aim was to investigate a possible relationship between children under-5 mortality rates and prevalence rates of celiac disease.

METHODS

Thanks to a literature review, we found 27 studies performed in 17 different countries describing the prevalence of celiac disease in schoolchildren; between 1995 and 2011, 4 studies were performed in Italy. A meta-analysis of prevalence rates was performed. Prevalence was compared between specific country under-5 mortality groups, publication year, and age.

RESULTS

In the last decades, under-5 mortality rates have been decreasing all over the world. This reduction is paralleled by an increase of the prevalence of celiac disease. The Spearman correlation coefficient was -63%, 95% confidence interval -82% to -33% (P < 0.001). So, the higher the mortality rate, the lower the prevalence of CD. This finding is confirmed by the meta-analysis of the 4 studies conducted in Italy over time.

CONCLUSIONS

The under-5 mortality rate seems to influence the prevalence of celiac disease in the general population. In the near future, the number of patients with celiac disease will increase, thanks to the better environmental conditions that nowadays allow a better survival of children with celiac disease.

Duodenal Mucosa of Patients With Type 1 Diabetes Shows Distinctive Inflammatory Profile and Microbiota

CONTEXT

Increasing evidences suggest a correlation between gut and type 1 diabetes (T1D).

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to evaluate the gut inflammatory profile and microbiota in patients with T1D compared with healthy control (CTRL) subjects and patients with celiac disease (CD) as gut inflammatory disease controls.

DESIGN/SETTING/PARTICIPANTS

The inflammatory status and microbiome composition were evaluated in biopsies of the duodenal mucosa of patients with T1D (n = 19), in patients with CD (n = 19), and CTRL subjects (n = 16) recruited at San Raffaele Scientific Institute, in Milan, Italy, between 2009 and 2015.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Inflammation was evaluated by gene expression study and immunohistochemistry. Microbiome composition was analyzed by 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing.

RESULTS

An increased expression of CCL13, CCL19, CCL22, CCR2, COX2, IL4R, CD68, PTX3, TNFα, and VEGFA was observed in patients with T1D compared with CTRL subjects and patients with CD. Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed T1D-specific inflammatory status compared with healthy and CD control tissues, mainly characterized by the increase of the monocyte/macrophage lineage infiltration. The T1D duodenal mucosal microbiome results were different from the other groups, with an increase in Firmicutes and Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and a reduction in Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. The expression of genes specific for T1D inflammation was associated with the abundance of specific bacteria in the duodenum.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that duodenal mucosa in T1D presents disease-specific abnormalities in the inflammatory profile and microbiota. Understanding the mechanisms underlying these features is critical to disentangle the complex pathogenesis of T1D and to gain new perspectives for future therapies targeting the intestine.

Health-related quality of life and determinant factors in celiac disease. A population-based analysis of adult patients in Spain

BACKGROUND

Celiac disease (CD) has a negative impact on the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of affected patients. Although HRQL and its determinants have been examined in Spanish CD patients specifically recruited in hospital settings, these aspects of CD have not been assessed among the general Spanish population.

METHODS

An observational, transversal study of a non-randomized, representative sample of adult celiac patients throughout all of Spain's Autonomous Regions. Subjects were recruited through celiac patient associations. A Spanish version of the self-administered Celiac Disease-Quality of Life (CD-QOL) questionnaire was used. Determinant factors of HRQL were assessed with the aid of multivariate analysis to control for confounding factors.

RESULTS

We analyzed the responses provided by 1,230 patients, 1,092 (89.2%) of whom were women. The overall mean value for the CD-QOL index was 56.3 ± 18.27 points. The dimension that obtained the most points was dysphoria, with 81.3 ± 19.56 points, followed by limitations with 52.3 ± 23.43 points; health problems, with 51.6 ± 26.08 points, and inadequate treatment, with 36.1 ± 21.18 points. Patient age and sex, along with time to diagnosis, and length of time on a gluten-free diet were all independent determinant factors of certain dimensions of HRQL: women aged 31 to 40 expressed poorer HRQL while time to diagnosis and length of time on a gluten-free diet were determinant factors for better HRQL scores.

CONCLUSIONS

The HRQL of adult Spanish celiac subjects is moderate, improving with the length of time patients remain on a gluten-free diet.

Characterization of Changes in Gluten Proteins in Low-Gliadin Transgenic Wheat Lines in Response to Application of Different Nitrogen Regimes

Gluten proteins are major determinants of the bread making quality of wheat but also of important gluten-related disorders. The gluten protein accumulation during grain filling is strongly influenced by nitrogen fertilization. We have characterized the gluten proteins in low-gliadin wheat lines as influenced by nitrogen treatments in two experiments. These transgenic lines, D783, D793, C655, D577, and E82 were obtained by using two different RNAi silencing fragments and two endosperm-specific promoters to drive the silencing fragments (d-hordein and γ-gliadin). In Experiment 1, we used three nitrogen fertilizer rates (120, 360, and 1080 mg N) added at sowing stage and combined with two sulfur rates (8 and 30 mg S); Experiment 2 included two nitrogen levels (120 and 1080 mg N), which were added according to the greatest demand per plant using split applications. The protein quantification was accomplished by Reverse-Phase High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and gluten content (ppm) determined using monoclonal antibody R5 (Competitive R5 ELISA). The results showed differences in protein accumulation between the two transgenic lines with the same silencing fragment but different promoter. Lines D793 and E82 showed low gliadin and an increment in glutenin content with increasing nitrogen. Competitive ELISA R5 showed a significant decrease in gluten content using split applications of nitrogen (Experiment 2) with 120 mg N compared to Experiment 1. In addition, line E82 ensures that variations in N fertilization will not result in increased gluten content.

Transcultural adaptation and validation of the Celiac Dietary Adherence Test. A simple questionnaire to measure adherence to a gluten-free diet

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

A gluten-free diet is to date the only treatment available to celiac disease sufferers. However, systematic reviews indicate that, depending on the method of evaluation used, only 42% to 91% of patients adhere to the diet strictly. Transculturally adapted tools that evaluate adherence beyond simple self-informed questions or invasive analyses are, therefore, of importance. The aim is to obtain a Spanish transcultural adaption and validation of Leffler's Celiac Dietary Adherence Test.

METHODS

A two-stage observational transversal study: translation and back translation by four qualified translators followed by a validation stage in which the questionnaire was administered to 306 celiac disease patients aged between 12 and 72 years and resident in Aragon. Factorial structure, criteria validity and internal consistency were evaluated.

RESULTS

The Spanish version maintained the 7 items in a 3-factor structure. Reliability was very high in all the questions answered and the floor and ceiling effects were very low (4.3% and 1%, respectively). The Spearman correlation with the self-efficacy and life quality scales and the self-informed question were statistically significant (p < 0.01). According to the questionnaire criteria, adherence was 72.3%.

CONCLUSION

The Spanish version of the Celiac Dietary Adherence Test shows appropriate psychometric properties and is, therefore, suitable for studying adherence to a gluten-free diet in clinical and research environments.

Overview of Celiac Disease in Russia: Regional Data and Estimated Prevalence

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune enteropathy triggered by the ingestion of dietary gluten from some cereals mainly in individuals carrying the HLA-DQ2 and/or HLA-DQ8 haplotypes. As an autoimmune disease, CD is manifested in the small intestine in the form of a progressive and reversible inflammatory lesion due to immune response to self-antigens. Indeed, CD is one of the most challenging medicosocial problems in current gastroenterology. At present, the global CD prevalence is estimated at approximately 1% based on data sent from different locations and available CD screening strategies used. However, it is impossible to estimate global CD prevalence without all the data from the world, including Russia. In this review, we summarize the data on the incidence and prevalence of CD across geographically distinct regions of Russia, which are mostly present in local Russian scientific sources. Our conclusion is that the situation of CD prevalence in Russia is higher than is commonly believed and follows global tendencies that correspond to the epidemiologic situation in Europe, America, and Southwest Asia.

Less Hidden Celiac Disease But Increased Gluten Avoidance Without a Diagnosis in the United States: Findings From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys From 2009 to 2014

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the trends in the prevalence of diagnosed celiac disease (CD), undiagnosed CD, and people without celiac disease avoiding gluten (PWAG) in the civilian noninstitutionalized US population from 2009 to 2014.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We studied the occurrence of CD and PWAG in the 2009 to 2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. The serum of all participants aged 6 years or older from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 2009 to 2014 was tested for CD serology at Mayo Clinic. Participants were interviewed for a diagnosis of CD and the use of a gluten-free diet (GFD). The design effects of the survey and sample weights were incorporated in all statistical analyses.

RESULTS

In the US general population, the prevalence of CD did not change significantly from 0.7% (95% CI, 0.6%-0.8%) in 2009 to 2010 to 0.8% (95% CI, 0.4%-1.2%) in 2011 to 2012 to 0.7% (95% CI, 0.3%-1.0%) in 2013 to 2014. However, the prevalence of undiagnosed CD decreased from 0.6% in 2009 to 2010 to 0.3% in 2013 to 2014. In contrast, the prevalence of PWAG increased significantly from 0.5% (95% CI, 0.2%-0.9%) in 2009 to 2010 to 1.0% (95% CI, 0.6%-1.4%) in 2011 to 2012 to 1.7% (95% CI, 1.1%-2.4%) in 2013 to 2014 (P=.005 for trend).

CONCLUSION

Although the overall prevalence of CD remained stable from 2009 to 2014, the proportion of individuals with CD that is hidden considerably decreased. Moreover, the proportion of individuals without CD but following a GFD increased markedly from 2009 to 2014. Long-term health consequences of a GFD warrant further investigation.

Effective Identification of Low-Gliadin Wheat Lines by Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS): Implications for the Development and Analysis of Foodstuffs Suitable for Celiac Patients

Scope

The aim of this work was to assess the ability of Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) to distinguish wheat lines with low gliadin content, obtained by RNA interference (RNAi), from non-transgenic wheat lines. The discriminant analysis was performed using both whole grain and flour. The transgenic sample set included 409 samples for whole grain sorting and 414 samples for flour experiments, while the non-transgenic set consisted of 126 and 156 samples for whole grain and flour, respectively.

Methods and Results

Samples were scanned using a Foss-NIR Systems 6500 System II instrument. Discrimination models were developed using the entire spectral range (400–2500 nm) and ranges of 400–780 nm, 800–1098 nm and 1100–2500 nm, followed by analysis of means of partial least square (PLS). Two external validations were made, using samples from the years 2013 and 2014 and a minimum of 99% of the flour samples and 96% of the whole grain samples were classified correctly.

Conclusions

The results demonstrate the ability of NIRS to successfully discriminate between wheat samples with low-gliadin content and wild types. These findings are important for the development and analysis of foodstuff for celiac disease (CD) patients to achieve better dietary composition and a reduction in disease incidence.

Age-related differences in celiac disease: Specific characteristics of adult presentation

Celiac disease may appear both in early childhood and in elderly subjects. Current knowledge of the disease has revealed some differences associated to the age of presentation. Furthermore, monitoring and prognosis of celiac subjects can vary depending on the pediatric or adult stage. The main objective of this review is to provide guidance for the adult diagnostic and follow-up processes, which must be tailored specifically for adults and be different from pediatric patients.

Gluten-free diet or alternative therapy: a survey on what parents of celiac children want

OBJECTIVES

Celiac disease (CD) is treated by life-long gluten-free diet (GFD). Novel therapies are under development. Willingness of CD children's parents to alternative therapies and GFD impact were evaluated.

METHODS

Parents of celiac children on GFD were investigated on need and preference for novel CD therapies, children's enrolment in trials, compliance to and personal judgment on GFD, health status (HS) and quality of life (QoL).

RESULTS

About 59.5% surveyed parents expressed the need for alternative therapies with a preference for vaccine-based strategy (39.9%). About 37.7% would accept enrollment in an ad hoc trial, 20.3% would agree to endoscopy during the trial. GFD compliance was 97.4% and well accepted by 93.8%. HS and QoL significantly improved during GFD (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The introduction of novel therapies for CD is desirable for over half of parents, with preference for vaccines. Parents frown upon enrolment in new clinical trials and the subsequent need for additional endoscopy.

Celiac disease from a global perspective

Celiac disease (CD) is one of the commonest lifelong disorders in countries populated by individuals of European origin, affecting approximately 1% of the general population. This is a common disease also in North Africa, Middle East and India. The widespread diffusion of CD is not surprising given that its causal factors (HLA predisposing genotypes and consumption of gluten-containing cereals) show a worldwide distribution. Further studies are needed to quantify the incidence of CD in apparently "celiac-free" areas such as Sub-Saharan Africa and Far East. Several reports have shown that CD is increasing in frequency in different geographic areas. Genetic factors do not explain the rising incidence during the last decades; environmental or lifestyle factors may be responsible for these changes over time. The majority of patients with CD are still undiagnosed all over the world, leading to debate about the need of screening program.

Co-localization of gluten consumption and HLA-DQ2 and -DQ8 genotypes, a clue to the history of celiac disease

Celiac disease is an immune-mediated disorder triggered by gluten in genetically susceptible persons. Despite its detrimental effects on human health, it has not disappeared over time. The current evolutionary theory is that celiac disease is more common in areas reached later by agricultural revolution than in countries that started consumption of wheat earlier, due to negative selection caused by celiac disease. We reviewed data on worldwide prevalence of celiac disease, wheat consumption, and frequencies of HLA-celiac-disease-predisposing-genotypes to investigate their mutual relationship. Studies assessing prevalence of celiac disease were identified through a MEDLINE search. Wheat consumption and frequencies of HLA-DQ2-DQ8 were obtained from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and allelefrequencies.net database. Correlations between celiac disease, wheat consumption, and HLA were analyzed by linear regression. We observed a significant correlation between wheat consumption and HLA DQ2 (p=0.01) and the sum of DQ2 and DQ8 (p=0.01) frequencies. Wheat consumption and HLA-DQ2 tend to co-localize in different continents. The correlation between the prevalence of celiac disease and either DQ2 and/or DQ8, or the product of DQ2+DQ8*wheat consumption was not statistically significant. Co-localization of gluten consumption and HLA-celiac-disease-predisposing-genotypes can be explained by positive selection of HLA-DQ2 genes in wheat-consuming areas, and "demic diffusion" of Middle East farmers into Europe.

Intestinal intraepithelial lymphocyte cytometric pattern is more accurate than subepithelial deposits of anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA for the diagnosis of celiac disease in lymphocytic enteritis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

An increase in CD3+TCRγδ+ and a decrease in CD3- intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) is a characteristic flow cytometric pattern of celiac disease (CD) with atrophy. The aim was to evaluate the usefulness of both CD IEL cytometric pattern and anti-TG2 IgA subepithelial deposit analysis (CD IF pattern) for diagnosing lymphocytic enteritis due to CD.

METHODS

Two-hundred and five patients (144 females) who underwent duodenal biopsy for clinical suspicion of CD and positive celiac genetics were prospectively included. Fifty had villous atrophy, 70 lymphocytic enteritis, and 85 normal histology. Eight patients with non-celiac atrophy and 15 with lymphocytic enteritis secondary to Helicobacter pylori acted as control group. Duodenal biopsies were obtained to assess both CD IEL flow cytometric (complete or incomplete) and IF patterns.

RESULTS

Sensitivity of IF, and complete and incomplete cytometric patterns for CD diagnosis in patients with positive serology (Marsh 1+3) was 92%, 85 and 97% respectively, but only the complete cytometric pattern had 100% specificity. Twelve seropositive and 8 seronegative Marsh 1 patients had a CD diagnosis at inclusion or after gluten free-diet, respectively. CD cytometric pattern showed a better diagnostic performance than both IF pattern and serology for CD diagnosis in lymphocytic enteritis at baseline (95% vs 60% vs 60%, p = 0.039).

CONCLUSIONS

Analysis of the IEL flow cytometric pattern is a fast, accurate method for identifying CD in the initial diagnostic biopsy of patients presenting with lymphocytic enteritis, even in seronegative patients, and seems to be better than anti-TG2 intestinal deposits.

Clinical and histopathological correlation of duodenal biopsy with IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase titers in children with celiac disease

BACKGROUND

Data correlating anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTG) antibody titers with severity of duodenal involvement is limited.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to correlate IgA anti-tTG antibody titers with symptoms, anthropometric parameters, and duodenal histopathology.

METHODS

Consecutively diagnosed patients of celiac disease as per modified ESPGHAN criteria presenting over a year were enrolled. Demographic data, symptoms, weight-for-age z score (WAZ), height-for-age z score (HAZ), IgA anti-tTG titer, and duodenal histopathology graded as per modified Marsh criteria were recorded. Spearman rank correlation test was used for association between TTG age, WAZ, and HAZ. Receiver operating curve (ROC), sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value were used to obtain anti-tTG cutoff value predictive of Marsh grade 3.

RESULTS

One hundred and forty-two patients with celiac disease were evaluated. tTG showed significant correlation with WAZ (r = 0.822, p = <0.001) and HAZ (r = 0.722, p = <0.001) but not with age (r = 0.202, p = 0.066). The median anti-tTG titers rose progressively with higher Marsh grade on histopathology (p = 0.001). The median anti-tTG titer was also significantly higher in patients with classic celiac disease as compared to non-diarrheal celiac disease (144 u/mL vs. 27, p = 0.02). Anti-tTG titer of 62.5 u/mL was strongly predictive of duodenal histology of Marsh grade 3a and higher with sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 95.4 %, 98 %, 93.8 %, and 88.3 % respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a significant correlation between IgA anti-tTG titers and anthropometric parameters and severity of duodenal histopathology. With further validation, strongly positive titers may be sufficient to predict severity of this disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease: Overlaps and differences

Recent findings demonstrate the common genetic basis for many immune-mediated diseases, and consequently, the partially shared pathogenesis. We collected these findings and reviewed the extension of these overlaps to other disease characteristics. Two autoimmune diseases were selected that also share the specific target organ, the bowel. The etiology and immunopathogenesis of both conditions characterized by chronic intestinal inflammation, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and celiac disease (CeD), are not completely understood. Both are complex diseases with genetics and environment contributing to dysregulation of innate and adaptive immune responses, leading to chronic inflammation and disease. CeD constitutes a particular disease because the main environmental and genetic triggers are largely known. IBD comprises two main clinical forms, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, which most likely involve a complex interplay between some components of the commensal microbiota and other environmental factors in their origin. These multifactorial diseases encompass a broad spectrum of clinical phenotypes and ages of onset, although the clinical presentation often differs depending on childhood or adult onset, with greater heterogeneity commonly observed in adults.

Integration of promoters, inverted repeat sequences and proteomic data into a model for high silencing efficiency of coeliac disease related gliadins in bread wheat

BACKGROUND

Wheat gluten has unique nutritional and technological characteristics, but is also a major trigger of allergies and intolerances. One of the most severe diseases caused by gluten is coeliac disease. The peptides produced in the digestive tract by the incomplete digestion of gluten proteins trigger the disease. The majority of the epitopes responsible reside in the gliadin fraction of gluten. The location of the multiple gliadin genes in blocks has to date complicated their elimination by classical breeding techniques or by the use of biotechnological tools.As an approach to silence multiple gliadin genes we have produced 38 transgenic lines of bread wheat containing combinations of two endosperm-specific promoters and three different inverted repeat sequences to silence three fractions of gliadins by RNA interference.

RESULTS

The effects of the RNA interference constructs on the content of the gluten proteins, total protein and starch, thousand seed weights and SDSS quality tests of flour were analyzed in these transgenic lines in two consecutive years. The characteristics of the inverted repeat sequences were the main factor that determined the efficiency of silencing. The promoter used had less influence on silencing, although a synergy in silencing efficiency was observed when the two promoters were used simultaneously. Genotype and the environment also influenced silencing efficiency.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that to obtain wheat lines with an optimum reduction of toxic gluten epitopes one needs to take into account the factors of inverted repeat sequences design, promoter choice and also the wheat background used.

Pediatric and adult celiac disease: similarities and differences

Differences between children and adults in celiac disease (CD) presentation and epidemiology are reviewed here. Clinical manifestations, histological changes, serology, and response to gluten-free diet are similar. Differences exist in epidemiology, type of clinical presentations, coexisting diseases, complications, and association with obesity. CD is two to five times more common in children than in adults. Classical CD with gastrointestinal symptoms is more common in children whereas nonclassical CD dominates in adults. A gene dose phenomenon (double-dose HLA-DQB1 02 allele) is postulated to be responsible for this difference. Coexisting autoimmune diseases like diabetes mellitus type 1, Sjogren's syndrome, and dermatitis herpetiformis are more common in adults than in children (42 % vs. 5 %). The association of overweight/obesity and CD is stronger in adults than in children (22.5 % vs. 14 %). Besides poor compliance, pancreatic insufficiency, bacterial overgrowth, lactose intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome, lymphocytic colitis, and microscopic colitis are considered responsible for nonresponsive CD in adults but not in children. Complications like refractory sprue and small intestinal neoplasms are seen exclusively in adults. Existing diagnostic criteria (modified ESPGHAN) are not suitable for diagnosing CD in adults as the majority of cases are either nonclassical or subclinical CD.

Correlation between antibodies and histology in celiac disease: incidence of celiac disease is higher than expected in the pediatric population

The present study aims to report on the correlation between the degree of negativity of anti-endomysial antibodies and anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies in the IgA and IgG classes with regard to histological grade, in 44 newly diagnosed children with celiac disease (CD). Samples with negative antibodies, but a positive histology from a 5-year program searching for CD in the pediatric population were collected. A total of 4247 biopsy samples were used in this study. We documented that certain pediatric patients are seronegative, while the disease is active and the incidence of CD is higher than expected in the pediatric population. This is an important finding, which demonstrates the lack of association between autoantibodies and lesions, and justifies the use of biopsies for an accurate CD diagnosis and the importance of revising the diagnostic criteria in a clinical, endoscopic and serological context. We recommend a more active search for incidences of the disease in the pediatric population. Serological markers are not the main method for the diagnosis of CD as they are considered to only have a supporting role clinically. Biopsies of the small intestine are always necessary for the diagnosis of CD in these patients.

Decreased prevalence of celiac disease among Brazilian elderly

AIM: To evaluate the prevalence of celiac disease in a group of Brazilian individuals over 60 years of age and compare it with the previously known prevalence in a pediatric group living in the same geographical area.

METHODS: The research protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Brasilia School of Medicine, Brasilia, Brazil. Blood samples from 946 individuals (295 male and 651 female) aged 60 years or older were collected between May 2010 and July 2011. The study subjects’ mean and median ages were 68.1 and 67 years, respectively, ranging from 60 to 92 years. That age distribution closely corresponded to the age distribution of the Brazilian population according to the Brazilian 2010 census. The participants were consecutive and unselected outpatients undergoing blood tests at the University of Brasilia Hospital’s Clinical Pathology Laboratory. All sera were tested for immunoglobulin A anti-transglutaminase antibodies (IgA-tTG) by enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay, and those that were positive were further tested for immunoglobulin A anti-endomysium antibodies (IgA-EMA). Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotyping was performed for all individuals who exhibited positive serologic results for IgA-tTG and/or IgA-EMA.

RESULTS: Out of the 946 studied patients, only one previously diagnosed case of biopsy-proven celiac disease was detected. For the remaining subjects, nine serum samples tested positive for IgA-tTG antibodies; however, none of them tested positive for IgA-EMA antibodies. The HLA genotyping of those nine subjects revealed that one was carrying DQA1*0501 and two were carrying DQB1*0201 alleles. These data showed that, among those 946 elderly individuals, the prevalence of celiac disease (CD) was 0.1% (95%CI: 0.00-0.59). The prevalence of CD for the elderly group was compared with that observed for the group of 2034 children younger than 15 years (age range, 1-14 years; mean age, 8 years) who took part in our previous CD prevalence screening study. All the children came from the same geographical region and shared a similar ethnic and low-income background. As in the elderly group in the current study, the younger group was made up of consecutive outpatients who underwent blood evaluation at the University of Brasilia Hospital’s Clinical Laboratory. The prevalence of biopsy-proven CD among those children was 0.54% (95%CI: 0.27-0.57). The comparative analysis between the two groups resulted in the following values: odds ratio = 0.19 (95%CI: 0.01-1.45) Fisher test P = 0.06.

CONCLUSION: The prevalence of CD among the children of our previous study was 5.4 times higher than that found in the present elderly group.