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Miscellaneous Notes:
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Celiac Disease and Diabetes:  The Houston Celiac-Sprue Support Group's
March/April 1997 newsletter is a godsend for those who have both
celiac disease (CD) and diabetes; it is dedicated entirely to that
subject!  It includes an introduction with three short case histories;
symptoms of diabetes; an article from Diabetes Forecast which
discussed CD symptoms; the life story of a diabetic that died young
and may have had CD without knowing it; a discussion of the genetic
connection between the two disorders; an article from Gluten-Free
Living, and a Q&A session with Dr. Joseph Murray.  If you would like a
copy of this newsletter, send $1 to the Houston Celiac-Sprue Support
Group, 11011 Chevy Chase, Houston, TX  77042-2606.

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Another 1997 Celiac Event:  In our last newsletter we listed some
conferences of interest to celiacs.  Here is another.  The American
Celiac Society's conference will be Nov.  1 & 2, 1997, in New Orleans.
More details will follow.  Contact the American Celiac Society, 58
Musano Court, West Orange, NJ 07052; (201) 325-8837;
[log in to unmask]

Also, apologies are in order.  The Gluten Intolerance Group of North
America holds their annual meeting every year in April in the Seattle
area.  This year I overlooked their meeting and didn't get a reminder
in time to include it in last month's newsletter.  Give me 40 lashes
with a wet GF noodle.-ed.

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Medicine Absorption<1>:  Absorption of antibiotics or any medicine in
adult celiacs is an item that can be overlooked.  Celiacs report
various responses to gluten.  These reactions can occur within hours,
days, or for some no symptoms may appear.  If a biopsy were taken, it
is likely that damage would be seen in all.  The area of damaged villi
may also vary between celiacs.  "It is known that persons with damage
to the first (proximal) part of their small intestine tend to absorb
larger molecules and malabsorb smaller molecules, while the reverse is
true in persons without damage to this section."<2>

If medication is not giving the expected results, the status of the
diet and absorption may be a factor to consider.  An old screening
test of normal subjects and celiacs with no indication of
cardiovascular, liver, or kidney disease showed the following results
for drugs excreted in the urine:

   an increased absorption of:  cephalexin, clindamycin, fucidin,
      sulphamethoxazole, and trimethoprim

   an impaired absorption of:  amoxycillin and pivampicillin

   a delayed absorption of: rifampicin

   normal absorption of:  ampicillin, erythromycin, ethyl succinate,
      lincomycin, and erythromycin stearate.<3>

[Note from Dr. Alexander:  The significance of these differences in
actual clinical settings is not well established, particularly for
those celiacs whose disease is under good control.]