Hepatic damage in gluten sensitive enteropathy.
BACKGROUND
Gluten sensitive enteropathy has been reported to occur concomitantly with liver abnormalities, such as primary biliary cirrhosis, chronic active hepatitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis.


METHODS
Duodenal biopsy was performed in nine children (all with short stature, five with chronic diarrhea and three with hepatosplenomegaly of unknown etiology) with a possible diagnosis of gluten sensitive enteropathy. All of the patients had different abnormalities in serum aminotransferase levels. With the help of laboratory investigations, viral, autoimmune, metabolic and toxic etiologies which cause hepatic damage were excluded. Liver biopsy was performed in five of these patients, two showing fibrosis and three nonspecific reactive changes. Gliadin antibodies were measured in six cases.


RESULTS
Intestinal mucosal histopathology was compatible with gluten sensitive enteropathy in all patients. While immunoglobulin (Ig) G gliadin antibodies were positive in all cases, only three cases were found to have positive IgA gliadin antibodies. After a gluten-free diet, levels of transaminases fell to normal within 3 months and remained so in seven of these patients. A second intestinal biopsy, which was performed after 1 year of gluten-free diet revealed normal intestinal mucosa in all patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Gluten sensitive enteropathy should be considered when evaluating a child with elevated levels of serum transaminase and in cases with cryptogenic liver disease.
Altuntaş
B
B
Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, University of Ankara, Turkey. buketaltuntaş@hotmail.com
Kansu
A
A
Girgin
N
N
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male
D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase