A Novel Sprouted Oat Fermented Beverage: Evaluation of Safety and Health Benefits for Celiac Individuals

The safety and health effects for celiac people of a novel beverage (SOFB) developed from sprouted oat flour by fermentation with Lactobacillus plantarum was explored. In vitro reactivity against anti-gliadin antibodies (AGA) and antioxidant/anti-inflammatory potential of SOFB in RAW 264.7 macrophages and Caco-2 cells were evaluated. Immunoreactivity against AGA and antioxidant activity were not detected in SOFB, but it exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity. The tolerability and impact of SOFB consumption for 6 months on nutritional status and intestinal microbiota composition were investigated in 10 celiac adults (five treated and five control). SOFB consumption did not adversely affect duodenal mucosa nor the total IgA or anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody (IgA-tTG) levels in celiac participants, but it significantly decreased total cholesterol levels at all sampling times and folic acid levels at the end of the study compared to the placebo beverage. SOFB administration also shifted gut microbiota, leading to a higher relative abundance of some beneficial bacteria including the genera Subdoligranulum, Ruminococcus and Lactobacillus in the SOFB group. This study provides supporting evidence of the safety of health benefits of a novel functional beverage produced from sprouted oat.

Current Evidence on the Efficacy of Gluten-Free Diets in Multiple Sclerosis, Psoriasis, Type 1 Diabetes and Autoimmune Thyroid Diseases

In this review, we summarize the clinical data addressing a potential role for gluten in multiple sclerosis (MS), psoriasis, type 1 diabetes (T1D) and autoimmune thyroid diseases (ATDs). Furthermore, data on the prevalence of celiac disease (CD) and gluten-related antibodies in the above patient groups are presented. Adequately powered and properly controlled intervention trials investigating the effects of a gluten-free diet (GFD) in non-celiac patients with MS, psoriasis, T1D or ATDs are lacking. Only one clinical trial has studied the effects of a GFD among patients with MS. The trial found significant results, but it is subject to major methodological limitations. A few publications have found beneficial effects of a GFD in a subgroup of patients with psoriasis that were seropositive for anti-gliadin or deamidated gliadin antibodies, but no effects were seen among seronegative patients. Studies on the role of gluten in T1D are contradictive, however, it seems likely that a GFD may contribute to normalizing metabolic control without affecting levels of islet autoantibodies. Lastly, the effects of a GFD in non-celiac patients with ATDs have not been studied yet, but some publications report that thyroid-related antibodies respond to a GFD in patients with concomitant CD and ATDs. Overall, there is currently not enough evidence to recommend a GFD to non-celiac patients with MS, psoriasis, ATDs or T1D.

Maternal antibodies to gliadin and autism spectrum disorders in offspring - A population-based case-control study in Sweden

ObjectiveIndividuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are reported to have higher levels of antibodies directed towards gliadin, a component of wheat gluten. However, no study has examined such antibodies in etiologically-relevant periods before diagnosis. The objective of this study is to investigate if maternal levels of immunoglobulin G antibodies directed at gliadin, during pregnancy and at the time of birth, are associated with ASD in offspring.MethodsIn this population-based study set in Sweden with 921 ASD cases and 1090 controls, we analyzed levels of anti-gliadin antibodies (AGA) in archived neonatal dried blood spots (NDBS, as maternal IgG is transferred to the fetus) and in paired maternal sera collected earlier in pregnancy for a subset of 547 cases and 428 controls. We examined associations to any ASD diagnosis and considering common comorbidities (i.e. intellectual disability [ID] and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD]). We compared 206 ASD cases to their unaffected siblings to examine the potential for confounding by shared familial factors.ResultsHigh levels (≥90th percentile) of maternal AGA were associated with decreased odds of ASD, particularly ASD with comorbid ID, when measured in NDBS (OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.30–0.87) with a similar trend in maternal sera (0.55, 0.24-1.29). High levels of maternal AGA were similarly associated with lower odds of ASD with ID in the sibling comparison.ConclusionsThis first study of exposure to AGA in the pre- and perinatal periods suggests that high levels of maternal AGA are associated with lower odds of ASD with ID.

Intestinal permeability and gluten and casein intolerance in children with autism spectrum disorders

Objective. To analyze correlation between the level of intestinal fatty-acid binding protein (I-FABP) and concentration of serological markers of gluten and casein intolerance in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Patients and methods. This study included 55 children aged between 3 and 15 years diagnosed with ASD. Twenty of them followed a gluten-free diet (GFD). All patients were tested for their serum levels of anti-gliadin IgG, anti-deamidated gliadin peptide IgA, anti-casein IgG, and anti-I-FABP IgG using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). To exclude selective immunodeficiency, we also measured total IgA level. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistica 10.0 software. We have constructed a three-dimensional surface using paired samples correlations. Results. The level of I-FABP varied between 1.63 and 209 pg/mL (mean 63.54 ± 48.5 pg/mL); its concentration decreased with age (r = -0,786). Increased levels of anti-gliadin antibodies were observed in 17.1% of children with ASD; 73.5% of patients had elevated levels of anti-casein antibodies; none of participants had anti-I-FABP antibodies. Conclusion. After constructing a multidimensional surface for three parameters, we have found certain correlations between the parameters examined, which reflects the existing relationships between them. We suggest using multidimensional descriptive statistics as the basis for constructing relationship functions in further research. Key words: autism, diet therapy, serological markers, leaky gut syndrome, gluten intolerance

Recurrent Fever and Failure to Thrive in an 11-Year-Old Boy

Recurrent fever is frequent among children and mostly associated with viral infections inoculated via social contacts with others of the same age. Rarely, severe conditions such as hematological malignancies, pediatric rheumatoid diseases, chronic infections, or inherited recurrent fever syndromes are causative. Herein, we present the case of an 11-year-old boy with frequently recurring high-fever episodes since early childhood, failure to thrive, and iron deficiency who was found to have classical celiac disease (CD) with highly elevated tissue transglutaminase and anti-gliadin antibodies and marked duodenal villous atrophy. Upon implementation of a gluten-free diet, the boy ceased to have fevers, antibodies decreased markedly, his iron status improved, and he significantly gained weight. Although infrequent, recurrent fever should be included into the polymorphic clinical picture of CD, and the threshold of testing for diagnostic antibodies should be low in such patients.

SERUM ANTIGLIADIN ANTIBODIES IN EGYPTIAN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER: RELATIONSHIP TO GASTROINTESTINAL SYMPTOMS, BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL COMMUNICATIONS

Objectives: Gastrointestinal symptoms are major characteristic in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), drawing attention to a potent association with gluten sensitivity. The goal of this study was to evaluate anti-gliadin antibodies serum levels in a group of Egyptian children with ASDs and to address the potential link to gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, behavioral, and social communications.Patients and Methods: This descriptive case–control study included 45 children diagnosed as ASD according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th Edition and a history of GI symptoms, compared with 45 apparently healthy children of matched age and sex. Serum anti-gliadin antibodies were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits.Results: Serum levels of IgM, IgA, and IgG class antibodies to gliadin showed a significant increase compared to healthy controls (p<0.000). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between the high serum levels of IgA and IgM class antibodies to gliadin in the studied patients and GI symptoms (p<0.05). A significant association was detected between the high serum levels of IgG antibodies to gliadin and the behavior symptoms (p<0.05).Conclusions: The anti-gliadin antibody response and its association with GI symptoms indicated the involvement of abnormal immunologic intestinal permeability in affected children. Immune system of some autistic patients could be abnormally triggered by gluten assumption.