<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Here's a couple of interesting new abstracts:

----------
Am J Clin Pathol. 2004 Apr;121(4):546-50

Non-gluten sensitivity-related small bowel villous flattening with
increased intraepithelial lymphocytes: not all that flattens is celiac
sprue.

Goldstein NS.

Department of Anatomic Pathology, William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI
48073, USA.

Seven patients (mean age, 37.6 years; 5 women) had several weeks of gluten
sensitivity (GS)-like symptoms; 2 had flu-like symptom prodromes. The 7
cases had morphologically similar biopsy specimens; all tissue fragments
had uniform injury--increased lymphoplasmacytic lamina propria
inflammation, moderate to complete villous flattening, numerous crypt
mitoses, and markedly increased villous intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs).
All patients were diagnosed with GS and prescribed a gluten-free diet; all
returned 9 to 38 weeks later questioning their diagnosis because symptoms
had resolved substantially or completely. Clinical improvement was
unrelated to gluten abstinence or ingestion. Repeated endoscopy and
colonoscopy performed 4.1 to 16 months later showed normal mucosa in all 7
patients. Diseases other than GS can cause marked villous flattening and
increased villous IELs in adults. The cause of small bowel mucosal injury
is unknown. A similar non-GS-associated clinicopathologic complex, assumed
to be due to a protracted viral enteritis or slow regression of a virus-
induced immune reaction, occurs in children. The temporal aspects of
symptom improvement and mucosal restitution in these 7 patients are similar
to "acute self-limited colitis." An overly exuberant immune response to an
infectious agent is possible.

PMID: 15080306 [PubMed - in process]

----------
Gut. 2004 May;53(5):649-654

Oats to children with newly diagnosed coeliac disease: a randomised double
blind study.

Hogberg L, Laurin P, Falth-Magnusson K, Grant C, Grodzinsky E, Jansson G,
Ascher H, Browaldh L, Hammersjo JA, Lindberg E, Myrdal U, Stenhammar L.

Department of Paediatrics, Norrkoping Hospital, Sweden, and Department of
Paediatrics, Linkoping University Hospital, Sweden. Department of
Paediatrics, Linkoping University Hospital, Sweden. Laboratory Medicine
Ostergotland, Pathology, Norrkoping Hospital, Sweden. Development Unit for
Primary Care and Psychiatry, County Council in Ostergotland, Sweden.
Department of Paediatrics, Motala Hospital, Sweden. Department of
Paediatrics, The Sahlgrenska Academy, Goteborg University, Goteborg,
Sweden. Department of Paediatrics, Sachsska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Department of Paediatrics, Vastervik Hospital, Sweden. Department of
Paediatrics, Orebro University Hospital, Sweden. Department of Paediatrics,
Vasteras Hospital, Sweden.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of coeliac disease (CD) requires lifelong adherence
to a strict gluten free diet (GFD) which hitherto has consisted of a diet
free of wheat, rye, barley, and oats. Recent studies, mainly in adults,
have shown that oats are non-toxic to CD patients. In children, only open
studies comprising a small number of patients have been performed. Aim: To
determine if children with CD tolerate oats in their GFD. PATIENTS AND
METHODS: In this double blind multicentre study involving eight paediatric
clinics, 116 children with newly diagnosed CD were randomised to one of two
groups: one group was given a standard GFD (GFD-std) and one group was
given a GFD with additional wheat free oat products (GFD-oats). The study
period was one year. Small bowel biopsy was performed at the beginning and
end of the study. Serum IgA antigliadin, antiendomysium, and antitissue
transglutaminase antibodies were monitored at 0, 3, 6, and 12 months.
RESULTS: Ninety three patients completed the study. Median (range) daily
oat intake in the GFD-oats group (n = 42) was 15 (5-40) g at the six month
control and 15 (0-43) g at the end of the study. All patients were in
clinical remission after the study period. The GFD-oats and GFD-std groups
did not differ significantly at the end of the study regarding coeliac
serology markers or small bowel mucosal architecture, including numbers of
intraepithelial lymphocytes. Significantly more children in the youngest
age group withdrew. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first randomised double blind
study showing that the addition of moderate amounts of oats to a GFD does
not prevent clinical or small bowel mucosal healing, or humoral
immunological downregulation in coeliac children. This is in accordance
with the findings of studies in adult coeliacs and indicates that oats,
added to the otherwise GFD, can be accepted and tolerated by the majority
of children with CD.

PMID: 15082581 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

* * *

*Support summarization of posts, reply to the SENDER not the CELIAC List*