title: Gluten-free diet has a beneficial effect on chromosome instability in lymphocytes of children with coeliac disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Children with coeliac disease (CD) have an increased number of chromosome aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Whether genetically determined or a secondary phenomenon in CD, chromosome abnormalities may be involved in the predisposition to cancer in CD patients. The aim of the study was to follow a group of children with CD in whom the initial frequency of chromosome aberrations at diagnosis was known and to measure the same variable after a minimum of 2 years on a gluten-free diet.
  
  
  METHODS
  Chromosome aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes were determined in 17 patients with CD, before and after at least 24 months of a gluten free diet (mean, 33 months), and in 15 healthy children. The differences in the frequency of aberrations were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test and Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twelve patients adhered to the diet and had a significantly lower frequency of chromosome aberrations than did 5 patients not following the diet (0.16% v 1.2%; P = 0.03), whereas at presentation there had been no difference (1.54% v 1.2%; P = 0.09). The frequency of aberrations at follow-up in patients who were diet adherent was significantly lower than at presentation (1.54% v 0.16%; P = 0.02) and remained unchanged in patients who were not diet adherent (1.2% v 1.2%; P = 1). After at least 24 months of a gluten-free diet, children with CD did not differ from healthy control subjects (0.16% v 0.27%; P = 0.54), whereas children not following the diet had an increased frequency of aberrations (1.2% v 0.27%; P = 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The frequency of chromosome aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients with CD decreased significantly on a gluten-free diet. We conclude that genomic instability is a secondary phenomenon, possibly caused by chronic intestinal inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Referral Center for Paediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition, Children's Hospital Zagreb, University of Zagreb Medical School, Zagreb, Croatia. siki@inet.hr
authors.forename: Sanja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kolacek
authors.forename: Oleg
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Jadresin
authors.forename: Iskra
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Petković
authors.forename: Zrinjka
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Misak
authors.forename: Zdenko
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sonicki
authors.forename: Ian Westerby
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Booth
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005983:Glutens / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance
chemical_list: D005983:Glutens