title: IgA anti-gliadin antibodies in the monitoring of gluten challenge in celiac disease.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of serum IgA anti-gliadin antibodies (IgA-AGA) in the monitoring of gluten challenge and in the prediction of mucosal relapse in children with celiac disease (CD) in order to reduce the challenging procedure to a minimum. Serial evaluations of serum IgA-AGA titers and 1-h blood xylose levels were performed in 17 children with celiac disease during gluten challenge. Jejunal biopsy was generally done after two consecutive measurements of positive IgA-AGA. The morphological appearance of the mucosa and intraepithelial lymphocyte infiltration were also evaluated. A serum positive for IgA-AGA was observed in 16 of 17 patients between the 15th and 35th day of challenge. The challenge was concluded in all children after 20-45 days from the introduction of a gluten-containing diet after histological confirmation of CD. Plasma xylose test was less reliable in this respect. We conclude that IgA-AGA measurement by gluten challenge is likely to simplify and allow earlier diagnostic confirmation of celiac disease in children, without intestinal biopsy.
authors.affiliation: Cystic Fibrosis Center, Ospedale Civile Maggiore, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Valletta
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Trevisiol
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mastella
mesh_terms: D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005983:Glutens / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis*; D007223:Infant; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D007583:Jejunum / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014994:Xylose / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D005983:Glutens; D014994:Xylose