title: Alpha 1-antitrypsin clearance as an aid in the management of patients with celiac disease.
abstract: One hundred and thirty-two different intestinal alpha 1-antitrypsin clearance tests were performed in 48 untreated adult celiac patients, 64 patients taking a gluten-free diet, and 20 adult healthy controls. In the untreated group, 95% of patients had enteric protein loss with values higher than the upper limit of normality (mean +/- 2 SD). In the treated group of patients, only 22% had abnormal levels of alpha 1-antitrypsin clearance. Sixteen patients who had elevated clearance before treatment had decreased clearance after an average of 7.4 months on a gluten-free diet. There was a significant relation (p less than 0.05) between the alpha 1-antitrypsin clearance and the degree of alteration of the jejunal histological structure. We conclude that enteric protein loss is a very frequent finding in celiac patients and the measurement of alpha 1-antitrypsin clearance may be a reliable method to evaluate the activity of the disease and useful in following the efficacy of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Small Bowel Section, Hospital Nacional de Gastroenterologia Dr. Carlos Bonorino Udaondo, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sambuelli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Niveloni
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sugai
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mazure
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kogan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pedreira
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boerr
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005983:Glutens / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011504:Protein-Losing Enteropathies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin; D005983:Glutens