Guidelines of the Italian societies of gastroenterology on the diagnosis and management of coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis.

INTRODUCTION: Coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis are immune-mediated diseases triggered by the consumption of gluten in genetically predisposed individuals. These guidelines were developed to provide general practitioners, paediatricians, gastroenterologists, and other clinicians with an overview on the diagnosis, management and follow-up of coeliac patients and those with dermatitis herpetiformis. METHODS: Guidelines were developed by the Italian Societies of Gastroenterology. Following a systematic literature review, the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology was used to assess the certainty of the evidence. Statements and recommendations were developed by working groups consisting of gastroenterologists and a paediatrician with expertise in this field. RESULTS: These guidelines provide a practical guidance for the diagnosis, management and follow-up of coeliac patients and dermatitis herpetiformis in children and adults, both in primary care and in specialist settings. We developed four sections on diagnosis, gluten-free diet, follow-up and risk of complications in adults, one section focused on diagnosis and follow-up in children and one on the diagnosis and management of dermatitis herpetiformis. CONCLUSIONS: These guidelines may support clinicians to improve the diagnosis and management of patients with coeliac disease.

Wheat ATIs: Characteristics and Role in Human Disease.

Amylase/trypsin-inhibitors (ATIs) comprise about 2-4% of the total wheat grain proteins and may contribute to natural defense against pests and pathogens. However, they are currently among the most widely studied wheat components because of their proposed role in adverse reactions to wheat consumption in humans. ATIs have long been known to contribute to IgE-mediated allergy (notably Bakers' asthma), but interest has increased since 2012 when they were shown to be able to trigger the innate immune system, with attention focused on their role in coeliac disease which affects about 1% of the population and, more recently, in non-coeliac wheat sensitivity which may affect up to 10% of the population. This has led to studies of their structure, inhibitory properties, genetics, control of expression, behavior during processing, effects on human adverse reactions to wheat and, most recently, strategies to modify their expression in the plant using gene editing. We therefore present an integrated account of this range of research, identifying inconsistencies, and gaps in our knowledge and identifying future research needs. Note  This paper is the outcome of an invited international ATI expert meeting held in Amsterdam, February 3-5 2020.

The effect of non-TNF-targeted biologics on vascular dysfunction in rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic literature review.

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is burdened by a significant increase in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Amongst CVD risk factors, endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness represent powerful predictors of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events in the general population and in RA patients. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was performed to identify the available data on the effect of non-TNF-targeted biologics licensed for the treatment of RA on endothelial function, arterial stiffness or subclinical atherosclerosis. MedLine (via PubMed), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and Web of Science (WOS) databases were searched using a predefined strategy to identify relevant articles. RESULTS: The search strategy initially retrieved 389 records. After screening titles and abstracts, a total of 362 studies were excluded. Amongst the remaining 27 studies selected for final examination, 16 articles were included in the systematic literature review. Included studies demonstrated a significant effect of abatacept, anakinra, rituximab and tocilizumab in improving endothelial dysfunction associated with RA; the effect on arterial stiffness was less consistent and deserves further investigation. No significant effect of non-TNF-targeted biologics was observed for measures of subclinical atherosclerosis. CONCLUSION: Non-TNF-targeted biologics have been associated with favorable effects on endothelial dysfunction as already demonstrated for TNF inhibitors. Future studies are needed to ascertain the impact of this mediations on arterial stiffness in RA patients.