1
Introduction
Celiac Disease (CD) is a permanent, irreversible but treatable multifactorial disease
triggered by the ingestion of gluten (a plant storage protein contained in wheat,
barley and rye) in genetically predisposed individuals and resulting in an autoimmune
small intestinal inflammation with systemic implications.
While the gastrointestinal manifestations secondary to an inflammatory enteropathy
with variable degrees of severity are what defined it for many decades, CD is in fact
characterized also by a wide range of extra-intestinal complaints and elevated titers
of celiac-specific autoantibodies.
1.1
Epidemiology and pathogenesis
The prevalence of CD is increasing at a remarkable pace during the past few decades
[1], [2], [3]. Once thought to be a rare condition, affecting no more than 1/10,000
people, thanks to the availability and widespread use of specific and sensitive serological
markers, CD is now recognized worldwide as a common disorder, with a prevalence varying
between 0.3 and 3 per 100. Only a limited portion of the expected celiac patients
are however actually identified, with proportions varying between different countries:
in the USA, even though overall CD prevalence is estimated to be around 1%, only about
15% of this population (including children and adults) has been diagnosed and can
therefore be treated [4].
This phenomenon of under-diagnosis is likely due to a combination of inadequate awareness
and a high prevalence of asymptomatic or oligo-symptomatic patients.
Like most multifactorial disorders, CD is the result of a complex interaction between
genes, immune status of the host, and environmental triggers.
Gluten is a heterogeneous molecule. The gluten fractions that are toxic to celiac
patients are a mixture of alcohol-soluble proteins called gliadins. Gliadins are rich
in glutamine and proline residues, which even the healthy human intestine cannot fully
digest. As a result, intact gliadin peptides are left in the lumen, and some cross
the intestinal barrier. These fragments come into contact with the intracellular enzyme
tissue transglutaminase (tTG), which deamidates them, leading to a change in shape
and increased negative charge. This creates peptides that can easily be captured by
the HLA-DQ2 and/or DQ8 molecules expressed on the surface of the lamina propria-associated
antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and are presented to CD4+ T cells triggering an inflammatory
reaction [5].
The end result of this autoimmune-triggered inflammatory reaction is a varied degree
of small intestinal mucosal damage, typically more severe proximally than distally.
The role of additional environmental factors is still the object of an intense research.
Recently, our group showed evidence for a plausible role of an otherwise innocuous
viral infection (Reovirus) in creating a pro-inflammatory milieu conducive to the
development of overt CD [6].
1.2
Clinical presentations
A wide variety of clinical presentations have also been described for CD both in children
as well as in adults, including “Typical,” “Atypical,” “Silent,” and “Potential” forms.
The “typical” form, so called because CD for a long time was thought to be presenting
only with malabsorption-related manifestations, consists of gastrointestinal symptoms;
the “atypical” form is instead characterized by predominantly extra intestinal symptoms
(see Table 1, from Ref. [7]). “Silent” CD describes asymptomatic patients with positive
blood serology and characteristic intestinal inflammation on biopsy; lastly, “potential”
CD refers to individuals with positive blood serology who may or may not have symptoms,
but show no apparent intestinal inflammation on biopsy. Though the typical presentation
was most prevalent in the early and mid-twentieth century, there appears to have been
a dramatic change from the 1980s onward with a shift from classical gastrointestinal
symptoms to higher rates of atypical and asymptomatic presentations [8], [9].
Table 1
Typical and atypical forms of Celiac Disease (from Ref. [7]).
Table 1
Sign or symptom
Age most commonly involved
Typical Celiac Disease
Vomiting
Infancy
Anorexia
Infancy to early childhood
Failure to thrive
Infancy to early childhood
Diarrhea
All ages
Abdominal bloating
All ages
Abdominal pain
Child to adult
Constipation
Child to adult
Weight loss
Child to adult
Atypical Celiac Disease
Sad mood
Infancy to early childhood
Elevated AST, ALT
All ages
Fatigue
All ages
Delayed puberty
Adolescent
Short stature
Child to adult
Anemia
Child to adult
Dermatitis Herpetiformis
Adolescent to adult
Dental enamel defects
Child to adult
Oral aphthae
Child to adult
Arthritis
Child to adult
Osteopenia
Adolescent to adult
Osteoporosis
Adult
Unexplained infertility
Adult
Headaches/migraine
Adolescent to adult
Peripheral Neuropathy
Adult
Idiopathic seizures
Child to adult
Psychiatric disorders
Adolescent to adult
Furthermore, it has been found that in general, presentations have become milder and
poor growth less common [10]. The reason for this shift is uncertain, but may partly
be the result of an increased awareness of the disease resulting in earlier detection
and higher rates of screening at risk individuals. Furthermore, CD has been found
to occur more frequently in association with other autoimmune disorders, such as type
1 diabetes; in some syndromic disorders such as Down syndrome, and in first degree
relatives of CD patients. Table 2 reports all conditions that are known to be possibly
associated with CD. Therefore, the clinician needs to have a high degree of suspicion
for CD in order to appropriately screen for this condition all individuals who are
at increased risk, and not just those presenting with obvious malabsorptive signs.
Table 2
Individuals at increased risk for Celiac Disease (From Ref. [7]).
Table 2
• Subjects with signs and symptoms of Table 1 otherwise unexplained
• First degree relatives of celiac patients
• Autoimmune conditions
◦ Type 1 diabetes
◦ Autoimmune thyroiditis
◦ Autoimmune hepatitis
◦ Addison disease
• Genetic disorders
◦ Down syndrome
◦ Turner syndrome
◦ Williams syndrome
◦ IgA deficiency
1.3
Diagnosis
It is universally recommended that tTG IgA and total serum IgA be the first line of
screening, given their very high sensitivity [11], [12]. It is also important to remember
that total serum IgA have to be determined to make sure that the patient is able to
produce tTG IgA: in fact, celiac patients have higher rates of IgA deficiency (about
2–3%) than the general population [13] and therefore may have a falsely negative tTG
IgA. Under these circumstances, both tTG IgG and DGP IgG can be useful surrogate markers
of CD [14], [15].
In 2012, an ad hoc task force of ESPGHAN published new evidence-based diagnostic criteria.
The proposed diagnostic algorithm allowed skipping the duodenal biopsy under certain
circumstances: namely, in children and teenagers showing a history and genetic asset
compatible with CD, tTG-IgA levels >10 times the upper limit of normal and a positive
titer of endomysial antibody (EMA) [11].
This simplified approach has been validated very recently by a large multicenter European
study [16] The results of this large prospective study on over 700 children have shown
that children can be accurately diagnosed with celiac disease without biopsy. Diagnosis
based on level of TGA-IgA 10-fold or more the ULN, positive results from the EMA tests
of 2 blood samples, and the presence of 1 symptom, could avoid risks and costs of
endoscopy for more than half the children with celiac disease worldwide. Interestingly,
the study was able to document that HLA analysis was not required for accurate diagnosis.
One needs however to be mindful that children with gastrointestinal complaints diagnosed
without endoscopy may have additional disorders that would go undiagnosed by skipping
this procedure. In fact, we have shown in a retrospective study performed at the University
of Chicago that although the positive predictive value in our series of children who
would have fulfilled these diagnostic criteria was indeed 100%, about 12% of them
were found to have additional diagnoses that were disclosed at the time of endoscopy
[17]. Hence, once a diagnosis is reached without the biopsy, the child simply needs
to be monitor4ed very carefully for full symptomatic remission.
1.4
Treatment and follow-up
The only treatment currently available for children and adults diagnosed with CD is
a lifelong gluten-free diet (GFD). Notably, given the pervasive presence of gluten
besides the obvious grains (wheat, barley and rye), a universally accepted definition
of GF foods allow the presence of no more than 20 parts per Million (or 20 mg per
kg) of gluten. How effective is it? We have recently examined our series of CD patients,
measuring the time needed after diagnosis for individual signs and symptoms to subside
[18]. A total of 554 patients (227 children) with CD were included. Abdominal pain,
diarrhea and failure to thrive were the most common GI symptoms in children while
diarrhea, bloating, and abdominal pain were most common in adults. Short stature,
fatigue, and headache were the most common extra-intestinal symptoms in children while
iron deficiency anemia, fatigue and headache/psychiatric disorders were most common
in adults. Children had significantly higher and faster rates of extra-intestinal
as well as gastrointestinal symptom resolution as compared to adults, with greater
rates of improvements in gastrointestinal versus extra-intestinal symptoms at over
2 years after beginning of the diet. Long duration of symptoms, female sex and scarce
adherence to a GFD were the most important significant predictors of failure to clinically
improve.
Of interest, in a large international collaborative retrospective study in the US
and in Italy on 265 CD children and matched controls (manuscript in preparation) that
we recently completed, we found that while the majority of patients had normal BMI
in both countries, 6% of Italian celiac children and 17% of US celiac children were
overweight/obese at the time of diagnosis. After following a GFD, there was a significant
increase in height (P < .0001 for both groups) and weight (P < .001 for both groups).
No change was found in BMI z-score (P = .1335 for Italian celiac children and P = .0646
for American ones). However, the GFD resulted in an increase of underweight in Italy
while overweight prevalence increased in the US.
A recent study [19] reported that up to 20% of CD children would not show healing
of the small intestinal mucosa 1 year or more after beginning the GFD and thus claimed
the need for a repeat biopsy. However, the study was biased as the sample of the studied
children was a small fraction of CD children, selected mostly (about 70%) for the
persistence of symptoms, largely due to ongoing ingestion of gluten. In addition,
numerous previous observations had conclusively shown that almost 100% of CD children
actually do show complete normalization of their damaged mucosa by 1 year into the
diet. In fact, an immediate reply by the European working group on CD [20] strongly
rebuked such findings and recommended against the need for repeat biopsy.
What follow-up is currently recommended for celiac children after diagnosis? Recent
papers addressed this issue, in the lack of specific recommendations by academic societies
such as ESPGHAN or NASPGHAN. In 2016, a panel of experts produced an evidence-based
document [21] advising to perform in all cases the tests reported in Table 3, and
of course adding any specific laboratory tests that the individual cases may require.
Table 3
Recommendations for follow-up of celiac children.
Table 3
Test
At diagnosis
At 3–6 months
At 1 year and yearly thereafter
EMA
○
TTG-IgA
○
○
○
DGP-IgG
○
○
○
CBC
○
○
○
Fe studies
○
TSH + T4
○
○
Vitamin D
○
Dietitian review
○
○
○
While the GFD is, as we have seen, an effective treatment for CD especially in children,
there is clearly the need to offer to celiac patients an alternative form of therapy
and even a cure. In recent years major efforts have been made in this directions.
Alternate pharmacological therapies being evaluated for the treatment of CD include
enzymes to inactivate immunogenic gluten peptides in the human gastrointestinal tract,
agents that sequester gluten in the lumen, modulators of gut permeability and of antigen
presentation and immune responses including those that block tTG and HLA, IL-15 inhibitors,
and finally the development of vaccines able to restore the lost oral tolerance to
gluten [22].
To investigate the attitude of celiac patients toward possible new treatment options,
we have recently completed and published a survey [23]. Two scenarios were presented
to CD patients following a GFD: a novel therapy that protects against cross contamination
while on a GFD and one that allows intentional gluten consumption. The survey also
included the Celiac Dietary Adherence Test and the CD Quality of Life (QOL) questionnaire.
A total of 182 CD patients completed the survey. Significantly more respondents would
take a novel therapy to protect against cross contamination compared with one that
allows intentional gluten consumption (87% vs. 65%; P < .001). This difference was
significant among women but not men. In both scenarios, protection against bowel inflammation
was significantly more important than symptom control, and side effects were more
important than cost. For a novel therapy that would allow intentional gluten consumption,
a one-time injection was preferred over a daily pill, and patients willing to take
this therapy had significantly lower QOL scores.
2
Conclusions
Celiac disease affects an increasing number of children around the world, for as yet
unclear reasons: the role of contributing environmental factors, such as Reovirus
infections, is being actively looked at. Clinical presentations can vary considerably,
challenging the pediatrician; and in some cases CD can even be asymptomatic. Its diagnosis
is currently facilitated by the availability of accurate screening tests based on
the detection of CD-specific antibodies and typical findings at the biopsy of the
duodenal mucosa. In addition, in well selected and quite frequent cases, the endoscopic
procedure needed to obtain the biopsy can now be skipped. A well conducted gluten-free
diet has been shown to be very effective in healing completely the small intestinal
mucosa in almost every child in a rather short time, and in obtaining the regression
of both, intestinal as well as extra-intestinal manifestations. A careful yearly follow-up
is however strongly recommended. New forms of treatment are currently under study
and show some promise.