Prevalence of antigliadin antibodies in patients with psoriasis is not elevated compared with controls.
BACKGROUND
Antigliadin antibodies (AGAs) are markers of celiac sprue but may have autoimmune implications in the absence of gastrointestinal disease. There is anecdotal evidence to suggest that gluten sensitivity may play a role in psoriasis, and patients with psoriasis in Europe have been reported to improve on a gluten-free diet.


OBJECTIVE
To assess whether patients with psoriasis in the US have an increased prevalence of elevated AGAs.


METHODS
A US sample of patients with psoriasis (n=100), patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (n=100), and age-matched control individuals without any personal or family history of autoimmune disorders (n=100) were tested for IgG and IgA AGAs.


RESULTS
No difference in the prevalence of abnormal AGAs among patients with psoriasis (14%), combined psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (18%), and control individuals (19%) was observed. No significant correlations between AGA positivity and psoriasis severity, joint involvement, or age of onset of psoriasis or arthritis were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
We found no support for the results of prior studies showing that elevated AGAs occur with increased frequency in patients with psoriasis. Furthermore, the relatively high prevalence of abnormal AGAs in our control population suggests these antibodies may not be associated with autoimmune disease.
Kia
Kevin F
KF
Department of Dermatology, University of Michigan Medical School, and Dermatology Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Michigan 48109-5314, USA.
Nair
Rajan P
RP
Ike
Robert W
RW
Hiremagalore
Ravi
R
Elder
James T
JT
Ellis
Charles N
CN
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005903:Gliadin / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000276:immunology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D005903:Gliadin