TY - JOUR
T1 - Autoimmunity Features in Patients With Non-Celiac Wheat Sensitivity
AU - Lo Sasso, Bruna
AU - Geraci, Girolamo
AU - Gambino, Caterina Maria
AU - Carroccio, Antonio
AU - Florena, Ada Maria
AU - Mansueto, Pasquale
AU - Seidita, Aurelio
AU - Ciaccio, Marcello
AU - Soresi, Maurizio
AU - Candore, Giuseppina
AU - Caio, Giacomo
AU - Carroccio, Antonio
AU - Ciaccio, Marcello
AU - Carroccio, Antonio
AU - Lo Sasso, Bruna
AU - Candore, Giuseppina
AU - De Giorgio, Roberto
AU - Volta, Umberto
AU - D'Alcamo, Alberto
AU - Fayer, Francesca
AU - La Blasca, Francesco
AU - Garlisi, Maria Chiara
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - INTRODUCTION: Nonceliac wheat sensitivity (NCWS) is characterized by intestinal and extraintestinal manifestationsconsequent to wheat ingestion in subjects without celiac disease and wheat allergy. Few studiesinvestigated the relationship between NCWS and autoimmunity. The aim of this study is to evaluate thefrequency of autoimmune diseases (ADs) and autoantibodies in patients with NCWS.METHODS: Ninety-one patients (13 men and 78 women; mean age of 40.9 years) with NCWS, recruited in a singlecenter, were included. Seventy-six healthy blood donors (HBD) and 55 patients with a diagnosis ofirritable bowel syndrome (IBS) unrelated to NCWS served as controls. Autoantibodies levels weremeasured. Human leukocyte antigen haplotypes were determined, and duodenal histology performedin all patients carrying the DQ2/DQ8 haplotypes. Participants completed a questionnaire, and theirmedical records were reviewed to identify those with ADs.RESULTS: Twenty-three patients with NCWS (25.3%) presented with ADs; autoimmune thyroiditis (16 patients,17.6%) was the most frequent. The frequency of ADs was higher in patients with NCWS than in HBD(P 5 0.002) and in patients with IBS (P 5 0.05). In the NCWS group, antinuclear antibodies testedpositive in 71.4%vsHBD19.7%, and vs patients with IBS 21.8% (P < 0.0001 for both). The frequencyof extractable nuclear antigen antibody (ENA) positivity was significantly higher in patients with NCWS(21.9%) than in HBD (0%) and patients with IBS (3.6%) (P 5 0.0001 and P 5 0.004, respectively).Among the patients with NCWS, 9.9% tested positive for antithyroglobulin, 16.5% for antithyroidperoxidase, and 14.3% for antiparietal cell antibodies; frequencies were not statistically different fromcontrols. The presence of ADs was related to older age at NCWS diagnosis, female sex, duodenallymphocytosis, and eosinophil infiltration.DISCUSSION: One in 4 patients withNCWS suffered from AD, and serum antinuclear antibodies were positive in a veryhigh percentage of cases. These data led us to consider NCWS to be associated to ADs.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Nonceliac wheat sensitivity (NCWS) is characterized by intestinal and extraintestinal manifestationsconsequent to wheat ingestion in subjects without celiac disease and wheat allergy. Few studiesinvestigated the relationship between NCWS and autoimmunity. The aim of this study is to evaluate thefrequency of autoimmune diseases (ADs) and autoantibodies in patients with NCWS.METHODS: Ninety-one patients (13 men and 78 women; mean age of 40.9 years) with NCWS, recruited in a singlecenter, were included. Seventy-six healthy blood donors (HBD) and 55 patients with a diagnosis ofirritable bowel syndrome (IBS) unrelated to NCWS served as controls. Autoantibodies levels weremeasured. Human leukocyte antigen haplotypes were determined, and duodenal histology performedin all patients carrying the DQ2/DQ8 haplotypes. Participants completed a questionnaire, and theirmedical records were reviewed to identify those with ADs.RESULTS: Twenty-three patients with NCWS (25.3%) presented with ADs; autoimmune thyroiditis (16 patients,17.6%) was the most frequent. The frequency of ADs was higher in patients with NCWS than in HBD(P 5 0.002) and in patients with IBS (P 5 0.05). In the NCWS group, antinuclear antibodies testedpositive in 71.4%vsHBD19.7%, and vs patients with IBS 21.8% (P < 0.0001 for both). The frequencyof extractable nuclear antigen antibody (ENA) positivity was significantly higher in patients with NCWS(21.9%) than in HBD (0%) and patients with IBS (3.6%) (P 5 0.0001 and P 5 0.004, respectively).Among the patients with NCWS, 9.9% tested positive for antithyroglobulin, 16.5% for antithyroidperoxidase, and 14.3% for antiparietal cell antibodies; frequencies were not statistically different fromcontrols. The presence of ADs was related to older age at NCWS diagnosis, female sex, duodenallymphocytosis, and eosinophil infiltration.DISCUSSION: One in 4 patients withNCWS suffered from AD, and serum antinuclear antibodies were positive in a veryhigh percentage of cases. These data led us to consider NCWS to be associated to ADs.
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10447/434685
M3 - Article
SN - 0002-9270
VL - 116
SP - 1015
EP - 1023
JO - THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
JF - THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
ER -