Fibromyalgia and non-celiac gluten sensitivity: a description with remission of fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia (FM) syndrome is a disabling clinical condition of unknown cause, and only symptomatic treatment with limited benefit is available. Gluten sensitivity that does not fulfill the diagnostic criteria for celiac disease (CD) is increasingly recognized as a frequent and treatable condition with a wide spectrum of manifestations that overlap with the manifestations of FM, including chronic musculoskeletal pain, asthenia, and irritable bowel syndrome. The aim of this report was to describe 20 selected patients with FM without CD who improved when placed on a gluten-free diet. An anti-transglutaminase assay, duodenal biopsy, and HLA typing were performed in all cases. CD was ruled out by negative anti-transglutaminase assay results and absence of villous atrophy in the duodenal biopsy. All patients had intraepithelial lymphocytosis without villous atrophy. Clinical response was defined as achieving at least one of the following scenarios: remission of FM pain criteria, return to work, return to normal life, or the discontinuation of opioids. The mean follow-up period was 16 months (range 5-31). This observation supports the hypothesis that non-celiac gluten sensitivity may be an underlying cause of FM syndrome.

Lymphocytic panhypophysitis in a young man with involvement of the cavernous sinus and clivus.

Lymphocytic hypophysitis is an unusual inflammatory lesion that is caused by autoimmune destruction of the pituitary gland. We report a case of 42-year-old man who presented with a 6-month history of severe headache, blurred vision in the right eye, hearing loss, polyuria, polydipsia, and impotence. Medical history showed that he and his mother had osteopetrosis. The results of the physical examination and laboratory tests showed that secondary hypothyroidism, hypogonadism, and hypocortisolism had developed. Central diabetes insipidus was diagnosed by water deprivation test. MRI of the sella showed pituitary enlargement with symmetrical suprasellar expansion, compression of the chiasma, thickened infundibulum, and involvement of both bilateral cavernous sinuses and clivus. Hormonal substitution with hydrocortisone, levothyroxine, and DDAVP resulted in rapid improvement of all symptoms and signs. Transsphenoidal biopsy was diagnostic of lymphocytic hypophysitis. In spite of extensive literature reviewing, we have not been aware of any case of lymphocytic hypophysitis with clivus involvement. The present case represents a variant of lymphocytic hypophysitis which has progressed to involve bilateral cavernous sinuses and the clivus.

Lymphocytic gastritis and associated small bowel disease: a diffuse lymphocytic gastroenteropathy?

AIM: To investigate the natural history of lymphocytic gastritis (LG) and its relation to Helicobacter pylori infection and to coeliac disease using serology, duodenal biopsy and a small intestinal permeability test. METHOD: Twenty two patients diagnosed as having LG between 1984 and 1994 were investigated by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at which gastric and duodenal biopsy specimens were taken for histological assessment and immunohistology. Serum was collected for measurement of anti-H pylori, anti-gliadin and anti-endomysial antibodies. A lactulose/mannitol absorption test was performed within one week of endoscopy. Control groups were studied by histology, serology and permeability tests. RESULTS: Three patients had been recently diagnosed as having LG while 15 still had the condition after a mean of 13.9 (range two to 38) months. LG involved the antrum alone in three patients, antrum and body in seven, body alone in six, and gastric remnant in two. Gastroduodenal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) were T cells and predominantly of T suppressor (CD8) type. Duodenal IELs were increased compared to age/sex matched controls with chronic gastritis. Four patients had duodenal villous atrophy. Four patients no longer had LG after a mean of 29.3 (10-70) months but had increased gastroduodenal IELs. H pylori was present in four (22%) of 18 patients with LG but H pylori serology was positive in 11 (61%) of 18. There was no difference in seropositivity when compared with age/sex matched controls with dyspepsia. Eleven of 20 patients with LG tested had abnormal lactulose/mannitol absorption (v none of 22 controls with chronic gastritis). Four patients with LG, all with villous atrophy, were seropositive for IgA endomysial antibody. CONCLUSIONS: The persistence of LG with time, the association with increased duodenal IELs and abnormal small intestinal permeability suggests LG may be a manifestation of a diffuse lymphocytic gastroenteropathy related to sensitivity to gluten or some other agent.