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Hi Susan,
One way that doctors have been able to track the progression of AIDS has
been to measure levels of anti-gliadin antibodies(6,5). There are a
variety of interpretations of this phenomena. None of the interpretations
I have read put the same spin on it that I do. My suspicion is that the
search for a cofactor in AIDS might pause at gluten, and some mysteries
might be unlocked. Some investigators have concluded: "...there is a human
immunologic cofactor (HIC) that causes AIDS when certain other conditions
are satisfied, and the most common of these conditions (but not the only
one) is HIV infection"(7).
 
Two groups have published very encouraging reports of startling
improvements in the majority of AIDS patients who have followed a strict
gluten-free diet. One group followed five AIDS patients on a gluten-free
diet (3) and the other reports on 30 AIDS patients who followed a
gluten-free diet.
 
I do not have the expertise to speculate on the disease process that
occurs in AIDS. Nor am I sufficiently well informed to evaluate the
quality of these studies. Clearly, others, who are sufficiently well
informed about such matters, have also examined this issue (1).
 
The conclusion I draw from all this is that if I, or someone I cared
about had AIDS, I would urge adherence to a gluten-free diet, in the
absence of a concensus on the matter.
 
I hope this is helpful.
Best Wishes,
Ron Hoggan  Calgary, Alberta, Canada
 
 
                             Sources:
1. keating et. al. "Intestinal absorptive capacity, intestinal
permeability and jejunal histology in HIV and their relation to
diarrhoea" Gut 1995; 37: 623-629
2. Ott et. al. "Intestinal permeability in patients with immunodeficiency
syndrome (AIDS)" Klinische Wochenschrift 1991; 69(15): 715-721 (This
article is written in German, but the constellation of attendant symptoms
look amazingly similar to those associated with celiac disease)
3. Quinones et. al. "Treatment of enteropathy in AIDS with a gluten-free
diet. Preliminary Communication" Rev-Invest-Clin 1989; 41(3): 223-226
4. Quinones & Lifshitz-Guinzberg "Gluten-Free Diet for AIDS-associated
Enteropathy" Ann Intern Med 1990; 113(10): 806-807
5. Quesnel et.al. "Early impairment of gut mucosal immunity in HIV-1
infected children" Clin Exp Immunol 1994; 97: 380-385
6. Quesnel et al "Is there IgA of gut mucosal origin in the serum of HIV1
infected patients?" Gut 1994; 35: 803-808
7.Allen et al "Leukocyte Adhesion Molecules as a Cofactor in AIDS: Basic
Science and Pilot Study" Med Hypothes 1995; 45: 164-168
 
 
> I hope this isn't a naive question, but if Celiac disease is an autoimmune
> disorder and AIDS is as well, what could be the relationship between the two?
> Thankyou always for a wonderful list!
> All the best,
>
> [log in to unmask]
> Maple Ridge, B.C. Canada