Several interesting studies related to celiac disease were published during August and September 2002. Here are the highlights of those articles.
A protein in gluten was identified that seems to stimulate the immune reaction in celiac disease.
Researchers separated out a big gluten protein that is in all the food grains that people with celiac disease can't eat. When tested in people with celiac disease, the protein caused a flare-up of immune symptoms. The researchers found the substance (enzyme) that will break down this protein, and suggested in their article that this enzyme could possibly be made into a dietary supplement that people with celiac disease could take with meals.
[Shan, L., Molberg, O., Parrot, I., Hausch, F., Filiz, F., Gray, G.M., Sollid, L.M., & Khosla, C. (2002). Structural basis for gluten intolerance in celiac sprue. Science, 297 (5590), pp. 2275-2279]
Hard-to-treat celiac disease that doesn't respond to a gluten-free diet may not be what it seems.
In this study, 55 people with hard-to-treat celiac disease were examined. The researchers discovered that:
- 6 people did not actually have celiac disease (were misdiagnosed)
- 25 people still came into contact with gluten from something, such as gum or lipstick
- 15 people had other disorders in addition to celiac disease that were causing the same kinds of symptoms
- 9 people actually had celiac disease that didn't respond to the gluten-free diet.
[Abdulkarim, A.S., Burgart, L.J., See, J., & Murray, J.A. (2002). Etiology of nonresponsive celiac disease: Results of a systematic approach. Am J Gastroenterol 97 (8), pp. 2016-2021]
People with endocrine disorders may also have celiac disease.
Between 2-5% of people with diabetes or autoimmune thyroid disease also have celiac disease. People with Addison's disease or other endocrine disorders should be examined for celiac disease, as they may also have it. Similar heredity for the disorders and celiac disease, as well as the tendency to have autoimmune disorders, seems to be the explanation for why these disorders occur together. The main concern is that people with endocrine disorders may have celiac disease and not know it because the symptoms are mild.
[Collin, P., Kaukinen, K., Valimaki, M., & Salmi, J. (2002). Endocrinological disorders and celiac disease. Endocr Rev 23(4), pp. 464-483]
Recovery of health of the intestine takes time after starting a gluten-free diet.
In this study, 158 people with celiac disease had their small intestines examined after starting a gluten-free diet. After 2 years, 65% of the people had healed intestines; after 5 years, 85.3% had healed, and beyond that 89.9% had healed. Children recovered up to 95% within 2 years and 100% in the years after. For 10.1% of people, there was little or no recovery of health of the intestine.
[Wahab, P.J., Meijer, J.W., & Mulder, C.J. (2002). Histologic follow-up of people with celiac disease on a gluten-free diet: Slow and incomplete recovery. Am J Clin Pathol 118(3), 459-463]
