Gliadin allergy manifested with chronic urticaria, headache and amenorrhea.
Gluten intolerance is an autoimmune enteropathy caused by heterogeneous mixture of wheat storage proteins. Malabsorption symptoms imply diarrhoea, abdominal pain/bloating and weight loss. This case describes a 22-year-old female subject, who had chronic headache, joint pain, urticaria and long period of amenorrhea. Skin prick tests revealed a sensitisation to α-gliadin, while neurological, gynaecological, endocrine and clinical-laboratory examinations did not justify the above-mentioned symptoms. Gluten-free diet resolved chronic symptoms and re-established the menstrual cycle, whereas a temporary gliadin daily diet re-exacerbated all clinical symptoms. Urticaria occurred 20 min and the chronic headache the next day after exposure to the gliadin-rich diet. In addition, the missing of the expected menstrual bleeding was observed. This case demonstrates that gliadin intake can induce malabsorption and 'idiopathic' neuronal or gynaecological symptoms.
Department of Allergology and Clinical Immunology, Mother Theresa School of Medicine, Tirana, Albania. allergology@gmx.de
Ervin Ç
EÇ
Mingomataj
Enkelejda
E
Gjata
Alketa
A
Bakiri
Fatmira
F
Xhixha
Entela
E
Hyso
Alkerta
A
Ibranji
D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000276:immunology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology*; D005903:Gliadin / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology; D006261:Headache / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D014581:Urticaria / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
D005903:Gliadin