Does gluten free diet have more implications than treatment of celiac disease?

AIM This study was aimed to evaluate symptomatic as well as histopathologic response to GFD in patients with gluten-sensitive enteropathies including celiac disease, lymphocytic duodenosis and non-specific duodenitis. BACKGROUND Gluten-free diet (GFD) is the main treatment of celiac disease. However, its impact on other disorders of gluten sensitivity spectrum is less clear. PATIENTS AND METHODS In a prospective observational study in Modarres hospital Tehran, Iran, 35 patients with chronic manifestations including low BMI, diarrhea, greasy stool and bloating were evaluated using serology for anti-tTG, endoscopy and histopathology. Patients were categorized in three diagnostic groups accordingly including celiac disease (CD), lymphocytic doudenosis (LD) and non-specific duodenitis (NSD). All patients were put on a GFD for 6 months, and subjective symptomatic response, serology, endoscopy and histopathologic tests were repeated and compared with baselines and among groups. RESULTS Of the total 35 patients, 5 had CD (14.3%), 9 had LD (25.7%) and 21 (60%) had NSD. Bloating was the most common symptom followed by diarrhea. Majority of patients (80%) had low BMI. All symptoms alleviated following a GFD but bloating was the only significant one. A significant increase was found in total mean BMI (17.3±0.7 v.s. 17.9±0.9). Histopathologic examination showed a complete resolution in 48.5% (n=17) patients, 10 in NSD group, 4 in LD group and 3 in CD group. Final prevalence of gluten-sensitive enteropathy (LD and NSD cases that responded to GFD) was 46.6%. CONCLUSION GFD may have more implications other than celiac disease. Other gluten-sensitive enteropathies, like LD and NSD, might also respond to this treatment particularly in patients with low BMI.