Prevalence of abnormal liver function tests in celiac disease and the effect of a gluten-free diet in the US population.

OBJECTIVES: Guidelines recommend routine screening of liver function tests (LFTs) in patients diagnosed with celiac disease (CD). However, little is known about the prevalence of liver disorders in CD outside of Europe. Our aims were to estimate the prevalence of LFT abnormalities in CD and to evaluate the effect of a gluten-free diet (GFD) on LFTs. METHODS: Adult patients with biopsy-proven CD were identified from a prospectively maintained database and matched with healthy controls. LFT levels for women and men were defined as abnormal based on the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) criteria. Data on demographics, coexisting liver diseases, and laboratory work-ups including aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) values at the time of diagnosis and on a GFD were recorded. Subsequently, data from this cohort were compared with data from 7,789 individuals participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2009-2010. Univariate logistic regression, Wilcoxon signed-ranks, Student's t-test, χ(2), and Fischer's exact test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: In 463 CD patients with ALT or AST levels at the time of CD diagnosis, 40.6% had elevated LFTs compared with 24.2% of treated CD patients (P<0.001) and 16.6% of matched controls (P<0.001). Similarly, 36.7% of CD patients on the NHANES database had abnormal ALT values compared with 19.3% of non-celiac patients (P=0.03). Approximately, 78.6% of CD patients with elevated LFTs at diagnosis normalized LFTs on a GFD after a mean duration of 1.5±1.5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Forty percent of individuals will have elevated LFTs at CD diagnosis; however, the majority will normalize with standard CD therapy. LFTs should be checked in all patients with CD and coexisting liver disorder should be considered in patients whose LFTs have not improved within a year on a GFD.

Recurrent Clostridium difficile infection: From colonization to cure.

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is increasingly prevalent, dangerous and challenging to prevent and manage. Despite intense national and international attention the incidence of primary and of recurrent CDI (PCDI and RCDI, respectively) have risen rapidly throughout the past decade. Of major concern is the increase in cases of RCDI resulting in substantial morbidity, morality and economic burden. RCDI management remains challenging as there is no uniformly effective therapy, no firm consensus on optimal treatment, and reliable data regarding RCDI-specific treatment options is scant. Novel therapeutic strategies are critically needed to rapidly, accurately, and effectively identify and treat patients with, or at-risk for, RCDI. In this review we consider the factors implicated in the epidemiology, pathogenesis and clinical presentation of RCDI, evaluate current management options for RCDI and explore novel and emerging therapies.

Celiac disease and the gluten-free diet: consequences and recommendations for improvement.

BACKGROUND: Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic small intestinal immune-mediated enteropathy precipitated by exposure to dietary gluten in genetically susceptible individuals. CD-related enteropathy leads to multiple nutritional deficiencies involving macro- and micronutrients. Currently, medical nutrition therapy consisting of the gluten-free diet (GFD) is the only accepted treatment for CD. KEY MESSAGES: The GFD is the cornerstone of treatment for CD. Prior published studies have concluded that maintenance of the GFD results in improvement of the majority of nutritional deficiencies. In the past, counseling for CD focused mainly on the elimination of gluten in the diet. However, the GFD is not without its inadequacies; compliance to the GFD may result in certain deficiencies such as fiber, B vitamins, iron, and trace minerals. Paucity of fortified gluten-free foods may be responsible for certain deficiencies which develop on the GFD. Weight gain and obesity have been added to the list of nutritional consequences while on the GFD and have been partially attributed to hypercaloric content of commercially available gluten-free foods. Follow-up of patients diagnosed with CD after starting the GFD has been reported to be irregular and, hence, less than ideal. CONCLUSIONS: Monitoring of the nutritional status using blood tests and use of appropriate gluten-free supplementation are integral components in the management of CD. The ideal GFD should be nutrient-dense with naturally gluten-free foods, balanced with macro- and micronutrients, reasonably priced, and easily accessible. Rotation of the pseudo-cereals provides a good source of complex carbohydrates, protein, fiber, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Fortification/enrichment of commonly consumed gluten-free commercial grain products should be encouraged. Dietitians specializing in CD play a critical role in the education and maintenance of the GFD for patients with CD.

The present and the future in the diagnosis and management of celiac disease.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune enteropathy caused by gluten in genetically predisposed individuals. In celiac disease, adaptive and innate immune activation results in intestinal damage and a wide range of clinical manifestations. In the past, celiac disease was thought to result in signs and symptoms solely related to the gastrointestinal tract. Now, more than half of the adult population presents with extra-intestinal manifestations that can also be expected to improve on a gluten-free diet. For this reason, it is recommended that physicians have a low threshold of suspicion for celiac disease. Current knowledge of the immune pathogenesis of this autoimmune disease has served as a catalyst for the development of novel diagnostic tools and therapeutics. Over the years, highly sensitive and specific serological assays, in addition to genetic markers, have been found to target specific steps in the cascade pathway of celiac disease. Also the advent of the gluten challenge has enabled experts to design diagnostic algorithms and monitor clinical responses in clinical trials. The gluten challenge has provided substantial benefit in the advance of novel therapeutics as an adjuvant treatment to the gluten free diet. Generally, a strict gluten-free diet is highly burdensome to patients and can be limited in its efficacy. Alternative therapies-including gluten modification, modulation of intestinal permeability and immune response-could be central to the future treatment of celiac disease.

Coeliac disease. Missing villi? The search for coeliac disease in the Asia-Pacific region.

Epidemiology studies have shown an ~1% prevalence of coeliac disease in Europe, North America, the Middle East and South America, but the prevalence in the Asia­Pacific region remains relatively unknown. Now, Makharia et al. have proposed much needed recommendations to help tackle the problem of coeliac disease in this region.

Nutritional consequences of celiac disease and the gluten-free diet.

Celiac disease is a chronic small intestinal immune-mediated enteropathy precipitated by exposure to dietary gluten in genetically predisposed individuals and represents a major health issue. The immune mediated response results in villous atrophy of the small intestine with subsequent malabsorption. The classic mode of presentation is that of a malabsorption syndrome resulting in deficiencies of macro and micronutrients. The gluten-free diet is the only treatment currently available for this disorder. The aim of this special report is to elucidate and explain the various nutritional deficiencies seen in newly diagnosed patients with celiac disease and while on the gluten-free diet. Though initiation of the gluten-free diet results in improvement of symptoms and most deficiencies, certain nutritional limitations are associated with the gluten-free diet.