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Many of you with negative CD tests who decided to go on a GF diet anyways
and have shown improvement should be able to relate to the following
abstract:

"The symptomatic and histologic response to a gluten-free diet in patients
with borderline enteropathy
J Clin Gastroenterol 2003 Jan;36(1):13-7     (ISSN: 0192-0790)
Tursi A; Brandimarte G

GOALS A clinical problem is posed by patients with symptoms suggestive of
gluten sensitivity (diarrhea, weight loss, unresponsive iron-deficiency
anemia, etc.); however, small intestinal biopsies reveal only minor
abnormalities, such as lymphocytosis with or without crypt hyperplasia
(Marsh I-II). Our aim was to assess the benefit of a gluten-free diet (GFD)
in patients with these small bowel mucosal abnormalities.STUDY We studied
35 patients (11 men, 24 women; mean age, 28 years; range, 22-51 years)
referred to us for gastrointestinal symptoms or unexplained or unresponsive
diseases. Because celiac disease was suspected to be the underlying
pathology, small intestinal biopsies were taken. These revealed only minor
abnormalities: 11 patients showed Marsh I type lesions, whereas 24 patients
demonstrated Marsh II type lesions. Although the histologic lesions were
inconsistent for celiac disease and a suspicion of a borderline celiac
disease persisted, all patients were motivated to adhere to GFD.RESULTS
Only 23 patients adhered to our advice and followed a GFD; follow-up
biopsies were taken after 8 to 12 months. In the Marsh I lesion group
(seven patients), five patients showed mucosal normalization to Marsh 0 and
two showed persistence of Marsh I lesions. In the Marsh II lesion group (16
patients), 9 patients revealed mucosal normalization, 5 improved to a Marsh
I lesion, and 3 revealed persistence of Marsh II lesions. A dramatic
clinical improvement in symptoms was noted in all patients who were on a
GFD, with symptoms virtually disappearing in all patients. Seven patients
who refused GFD were reevaluated 8 to 12 months later. Symptoms and
histologic lesions were unchanged in six, all of whom refused again to
adhere to a GFD. One of the seven with Marsh I lesions had a worsening of
symptoms and of histologic lesions (from Marsh I to Marsh IIIa); so, this
last patient adhered to a GFD.CONCLUSIONS Symptoms disappeared after GFD in
patients suspected to have celiac disease but with slight histologic
lesions. Although Marsh I-II lesions cannot be classified as celiac lesions
(ESPGAN criteria), the patients' symptoms at presentation and the clear
improvement of symptoms when on GFD, with or without improvement of
histologic lesions, supports the assumption that these patients are
sensitive to gluten and may justify treatment with a GFD."

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