1.
Clinical and neurological abnormalities in adult celiac disease.
Cicarelli, G, Della Rocca, G, Amboni, M, Ciacci, C, Mazzacca, G, Filla, A, Barone, P
Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology. 2003;(5):311-7
Abstract
We assessed the occurrence of neurological signs and symptoms in adult patients with celiac disease and evaluated the correlation between neurological features and diet. A total of 176 patients and 52 age-matched controls underwent a semistructural interview and a neurologic examination. The effect of gluten-free diet was evaluated by comparing the prevalence of signs and symptoms among patients adhering to a gluten-free diet and patients on an unrestricted diet. The occurrence of headache, dysthymia and signs of peripheral neuropathy was significantly higher in patients with celiac disease than in control subjects. Adherence to a strict gluten-free diet was associated with a significant reduction of headache, dysthymia, cramps and weakness, but did not modify the occurrence of paresthesia or hyporeflexia. Neurological signs and symptoms are associated with celiac disease and can be ameliorated by a gluten-free diet.
2.
Body composition in coeliac disease adolescents on a gluten-free diet: a longitudinal study.
Carbone, MC, Pitzalis, G, Ferri, M, Nenna, R, Thanasi, E, Andreoli, A, De Lorenzo, A, Bonamico, M
Acta diabetologica. 2003;:S171-3
Abstract
Our aim was to evaluate body composition in a group of coeliac disease adolescents on a gluten-free diet and to re-examine them at the end of the adolescence spurt. We studied 48 patients (group 1A), 30 age-matched healthy controls (group 2A), 11 group 1A patients after 4 years (group 1B) and 11 adolescents who were age- and sex-matched with group 1B (group 2B). Weight, height, bone mineral content, fat mass, fat-free mass (FFM) and bone mineral density were evaluated using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. All parameters were lower in group 1A than in group 2A subjects ( p<0.001). After 4 years, the body compartments of group 1B coeliac disease patients normalised, except for weight and FFM which remained lower than in group 2B subjects ( p<0.005). In conclusion, our study demonstrates that adolescence is a period where some parameters of body composition can still be recovered.