Effect of Aspergillus niger prolyl endopeptidase in patients with celiac disease on a long-term gluten-free diet

BACKGROUND The gluten-free diet(GFD)has limitations,and there is intense research in the development of adjuvant therapies.AIM To examine the effects of orally administered Aspergillus niger prolyl endopeptidase protease(AN-PEP)on inadvertent gluten exposure and symptom prevention in adult celiac disease(CeD)patients following their usual GFD.METHODS This was an exploratory,double-blind,randomized,placebo-controlled trial that enrolled CeD patients on a long-term GFD.After a 4-wk run-in period,patients were randomized to 4 wk of two AN-PEP capsules(GliadinX;AVI Research,LLC,United States)at each of three meals per day or placebo.Outcome endpoints were:(1)Average weekly stool gluten immunogenic peptides(GIP)between the run-in and end of treatments and between AN-PEP and placebo;(2)celiac symptom index(CSI);(3)CeD-specific serology;and(4)quality of life.Stool samples were collected for GIP testing by ELISA every Tuesday and Friday during run-ins and treatments.RESULTS Forty patients were randomized for the intention-to-treat analysis,and three were excluded from the per-protocol assessment.Overall,628/640(98.1%)stool samples were collected.GIP was undetectable(<0.08μg/g)in 65.6%of samples,and no differences between treatment arms were detected.Only 0.5%of samples had GIP concentrations sufficiently high(>0.32μg/g)to potentially cause mucosal damage.Median GIP concentration in the AN-PEP arm was 44.7%lower than in the run-in period.One-third of patients exhibiting GIP>0.08μg/g during run-in had lower or undetectable GIP after AN-PEP treatment.Compared with the run-in period,the proportion of symptomatic patients(CSI>38)in the AN-PEP arm was significantly lower(P<0.03).AN-PEP did not result in changes in specific serologies.CONCLUSION This exploratory study conducted in a real-life setting revealed high adherence to the GFD.The AN-PEP treatment did not significantly reduce the overall GIP stool concentration.However,given the observation of a significantly lower prevalence of patients with severe symptoms in the AN-PEP arm,further clinical research is warranted.

Celiac disease serology in patients with different pretest probabilities: Is biopsy avoidable?

AIM: To establish the diagnostic performance of sev-eral serological tests, individually and in combination, for diagnosing celiac disease (CD) in patients with different pretest probabilities, and to explore potential se- rological algorithms to reduce the necessity for biopsy. METHODS: We prospectively performed duodenal biopsy and serology in 679 adults who had either high risk (n = 161) or low risk (n = 518) for CD. Blood samples were tested using six assays (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) that detected antibodies to tissue transglutaminase (tTG) and deamidated gliadin peptide (DGP). RESULTS: CD prevalence was 39.1% in the high-risk population and 3.3% in the low-risk group. In high-risk patients, all individual assays had a high diagnostic efficacy [area under receiving operator characteristic curves (AU ROC): 0.968 to 0.999]. In contrast, assays had a lower diagnostic efficacy (AU ROC: 0.835 to 0.972) in the low-risk group. Using assay combinations, it would be possible to reach or rule out diagnosis of CD without biopsy in 92% of cases in both pretest populations. We observed that the new DGP/tTG Screen assay resulted in a surplus compared to more conventional assays in any clinical situation. CONCLUSION: The DGP/tTG Screen assay could be considered as the best initial test for CD. Combinations of two tests, including a DGP/tTG Screen, might be able to diagnose CD accurately in different clinical scenarios making biopsy avoidable in a high proportion of subjects.

Gluten immunogenic peptide excretion detects dietary transgressions in treated celiac disease patients

BACKGROUND Life-long removal of gluten from the diet is currently the only way to manage celiac disease(CeD). Until now, no objective test has proven useful to objectively detect ingested gluten in clinical practice. Recently, tests that determine consumption of gluten by assessing excretion of gluten immunogenic peptides(GIP) in stool and urine have been developed. Their utility, in comparison with conventional dietary and analytical follow-up strategies, has not been fully established.AIM To assess the performance of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) and point-of-care tests(PoCTs) for GIP excretion in CeD patients on gluten-free diet(GFD).METHODS We conducted an observational, prospective, cross-sectional study in patients following a GFD for at least two years. Using the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale questionnaire, patients were classified at enrollment as asymptomatic or symptomatic. Gluten consumption was assessed twice by 3-d dietary recall and GIP excretion(by ELISA in stool and PoCTs(commercial kits for stool and urine) in two consecutive samples. These samples and dietary reports were obtained 10 day apart one from the other. Patients were encouraged to follow their usual GFD during the study period.RESULTS Forty-four patients were enrolled, of which 19(43.2%) were symptomatic despite being on a GFD. Overall, 83 sets of stool and/or urine samples were collected.Eleven out of 44 patients(25.0%) had at least one positive GIP test. The occurrence of at least one positive test was 32% in asymptomatic patients compared with 15.8% in symptomatic patients. GIP was concordant with dietary reports in 65.9% of cases(Cohen′s kappa: 0.317). PoCT detected dietary indiscretions. Both ELISA and PoCT in stool were concordant(concomitantly positive or negative) in 67 out of 74(90.5%) samples. Excretion of GIP was detected in 7(8.4%) stool and/or urine samples from patients considered to be strictly compliant with the GFD by dietary reports.CONCLUSION GIP detects dietary transgressions in patients on long-term GFD, irrespective of the presence of symptoms. PoCT for GIP detection constitutes a simple homebased method for self-assessment of dietary indiscretions.

Risk of fracture in celiac disease:Gender,dietary compliance,or both?

AIM:To determine the incidence of peripheral fractures in patients with celiac disease (CD) and the effect of treatment on fracture risk.METHODS:We compared the incidence and risk of peripheral fractures before and after diagnosis between a cohort of 265 patients who had been diagnosed with CD at least 5 years before study entry and a cohort of 530 age-and sex-matched controls who had been diagnosed with functional gastrointestinal disorders.Data were collected through in-person interviews with an investigator.The overall assessment window for patients was 9843 patient-years (2815 patient-years after diagnosis).RESULTS:Compared with the control group,the CD cohort showed significantly higher incidence rate and risk of first peripheral fracture before diagnosis [adjusted hazard ratio (HR):1.78,95% CI:1.23-2.56,P < 0.002] and in men (HR:2.67,95% CI:1.37-5.22,P < 0.004).Fracture risk was significantly associated with the classic CD presentation with gastrointestinal symptoms (P < 0.003).In the time period after diagnosis,the risk of fractures was comparable between the CD cohort and controls in both sexes (HR:1.08,95% CI:0.55-2.10 for women;HR:1.57,95% CI:0.57-4.26 for men).CONCLUSION:CD patients have higher prevalence of fractures in the peripheral skeleton before diagnosis.This is associated with male sex and classic clinical presentation.The fracture risk was reduced after the treatment.

Upper gastrointestinal endoscopic findings in celiac disease at diagnosis:A multicenter international retrospective study

BACKGROUND Gastroduodenal endoscopy and biopsy following positive specific serology is considered the gold standard to diagnose celiac disease(CeD)in adults.Whether upper endoscopy helps detect comorbid conditions is unknown.AIM To investigate the prevalence of non-celiac endoscopic findings in patients in whom endoscopy was performed to confirm CeD diagnosis.METHODS This is an observational,descriptive,multicenter,retrospective study that reports endoscopic findings obtained in adult patients enrolled in local registries from four tertiary centers.We collected data reported on first endoscopy,indicated for investigation of CeD.Diagnosis of CeD was performed by histology(≥Marsh 2type mucosal damage)and specific serology.Two European and one North American center included biopsy-confirmed CeD following positive serology.A fourth center(South America)included symptomatic patients undergoing endoscopy,irrespective of CeD serology.The latter cohort included a non-CeD control group.RESULTS A total of 1328 patients(80%female;35 years median age)were enrolled,of whom 95.6%had positive specific serology.In 135 patients,endoscopy revealed 163 abnormalities unrelated to CeD(prevalence:10.1%).Erosive reflux esophagitis(6.4%),gastric erosions(2.0%),and suspicion of esophageal metaplasia(1.2%)were the most common findings.Biopsy-confirmed Barrett’s esophagus was infrequent(0.2%).No endoscopic cancer was detected.Older patients(≥51 years of age)had a higher prevalence of endoscopic findings than those≤50(P<0.01).Within the South American cohort,CeD was associated with a lower rate(8.2%)of comorbid endoscopic findings compared with controls(29.1%;P<0.001).In the adjusted multivariate analysis of this cohort,having CeD was associated with a 72%reduction in the risk of any endoscopic abnormality(P<0.0001),and having alarm symptoms was associated with a 37%reduction in the risk of finding at least one endoscopic lesion(P<0.02).CONCLUSION In this large multicenter study,young adults with positive CeD serology had few comorbid endoscopic findings.Although patients over 51 years had a high prevalence of non-CeD gastroduodenal mucosal damage,no malignancy or premalignant lesions were found.