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1.
Microscopic colitis.
Burke, KE, D'Amato, M, Ng, SC, Pardi, DS, Ludvigsson, JF, Khalili, H
Nature reviews. Disease primers. 2021;(1):39
Abstract
Microscopic colitis (MC) is an inflammatory disease of the large intestine associated with urgent watery diarrhoea. MC may occur in people of all ages, although the disease primarily affects older women. Once believed to be rare, MC is now known to be a common cause of chronic watery diarrhoea in high-income countries, affecting 1 in 115 women and 1 in 286 men during their lifetime in Swedish population-based estimates. An inappropriate immune response to disturbances in the gut microenvironment is implicated in the pathogenesis of MC. Evidence also supports an underlying genetic basis for disease. The diagnosis of MC relies on clinical symptoms and microscopic assessment of colonic biopsy samples. MC is categorized histologically into collagenous colitis, lymphocytic colitis and their incomplete forms. The mainstay of treatment includes the use of budesonide, with or without adjunctive therapies, and withdrawal of offending drugs. Emerging studies suggest a role for biologicals and immunosuppressive therapies for the management of budesonide-refractory or budesonide-dependent disease. MC can have a substantial negative effect on patient quality of life. The outlook for MC includes a better understanding of the immune response, genetics and the microbiome in disease pathogenesis along with progress in disease management through robust clinical trials.
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Prevalence of Celiac Disease in Patients With Iron Deficiency Anemia-A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis.
Mahadev, S, Laszkowska, M, Sundström, J, Björkholm, M, Lebwohl, B, Green, PHR, Ludvigsson, JF
Gastroenterology. 2018;(2):374-382.e1
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Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Anemia is common in patients with celiac disease (CD) and a frequent mode of presentation. Guidelines recommend screening patients with iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) for CD. However, the reported prevalence of CD in patients with IDA varies. We performed a systematic review to determine the prevalence of biopsy-verified CD in patients with IDA. METHODS We performed a systematic review of articles published in PubMed Medline or EMBASE through July 2017 for the term "celiac disease" combined with "anemia" or "iron deficiency." We used fixed-effects inverse variance-weighted models to measure the pooled prevalence of CD. Meta-regression was used to assess subgroup heterogeneity. RESULTS We identified 18 studies composed of 2998 patients with IDA for inclusion in our analysis. Studies originated from the United Kingdom, United States, Italy, Turkey, Iran, and Israel. The crude unweighted prevalence of CD was 4.8% (n = 143). Using a weighted pooled analysis, we found a prevalence of biopsy-confirmed CD of 3.2% (95% confidence interval = 2.6-3.9) in patients with IDA. However, heterogeneity was high (I2 = 67.7%). The prevalence of CD was not significantly higher in studies with a mean participant age older or younger than 18 years or in studies with a mixed-sex vs female-predominant (≥60%) population. On meta-regression, year of publication, female proportion, age at CD testing, and prevalence in the general population were not associated with the prevalence of CD in patients with IDA. In the 8 studies fulfilling all our quality criteria, the pooled prevalence of CD was 5.5% (95% confidence interval = 4.1-6.9). CONCLUSIONS In a systematic review and meta-analysis, we found that approximately 1 in 31 patients with IDA have histologic evidence of CD. This prevalence value justifies the practice of testing patients with IDA for CD.
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Coeliac disease: review of diagnosis and management.
Walker, MM, Ludvigsson, JF, Sanders, DS
The Medical journal of Australia. 2017;(4):173-178
Abstract
Coeliac disease is an immune-mediated systemic disease triggered by exposure to gluten, and manifested by small intestinal enteropathy and gastrointestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms. Recent guidelines recommend a concerted use of clear definitions of the disease. In Australia, the most recent estimated prevalence is 1.2% in adult men (1:86) and 1.9% in adult women (1:52). Active case finding is appropriate to diagnose coeliac disease in high risk groups. Diagnosis of coeliac disease is important to prevent nutritional deficiency and long term risk of gastrointestinal malignancy. The diagnosis of coeliac disease depends on clinico-pathological correlation: history, presence of antitransglutaminase antibodies, and characteristic histological features on duodenal biopsy (when the patient is on a gluten-containing diet). Human leucocyte antigen class II haplotypes DQ2 or DQ8 are found in nearly all patients with coeliac disease, but are highly prevalent in the general population at large (56% in Australia) and testing can only exclude coeliac disease for individuals with non-permissive haplotypes. Adhering to a gluten free diet allows duodenal mucosal healing and alleviates symptoms. Patients should be followed up with a yearly review of dietary adherence and a health check. Non-coeliac gluten or wheat protein sensitivity is a syndrome characterised by both gastrointestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms related to the ingestion of gluten and possibly other wheat proteins in people who do not have coeliac disease or wheat allergy recognised by diagnostic tests.
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Current evidence on whether perinatal risk factors influence coeliac disease is circumstantial.
Mårild, K, Ludvigsson, JF, Størdal, K
Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992). 2016;(4):366-75
Abstract
UNLABELLED Coeliac disease is triggered by an interplay of environmental and genetic factors and is one of the most prevalent autoimmune diseases in children, occurring in about 1% of Europeans. Over the last few decades, there has been a growing interest in the role of the perinatal environment in coeliac disease and this review discusses the growing body of literature on coeliac disease and perinatal risk factors. CONCLUSION There is still only circumstantial evidence that the perinatal environment influences coeliac disease development. Large-scale cohort studies and emerging scientific concepts, such as epigenetics, may help us establish the role of these environmental factors.
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The gluten-free diet and its current application in coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis.
Ciacci, C, Ciclitira, P, Hadjivassiliou, M, Kaukinen, K, Ludvigsson, JF, McGough, N, Sanders, DS, Woodward, J, Leonard, JN, Swift, GL
United European gastroenterology journal. 2015;(2):121-35
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BACKGROUND A gluten-free diet (GFD) is currently the only available therapy for coeliac disease (CD). OBJECTIVES We aim to review the literature on the GFD, the gluten content in naturally gluten-free (GF) and commercially available GF food, standards and legislation concerning the gluten content of foods, and the vitamins and mineral content of a GFD. METHODS We carried out a PubMed search for the following terms: Gluten, GFD and food, education, vitamins, minerals, calcium, Codex wheat starch and oats. Relevant papers were reviewed and for each topic a consensus among the authors was obtained. CONCLUSION Patients with CD should avoid gluten and maintain a balanced diet to ensure an adequate intake of nutrients, vitamins, fibre and calcium. A GFD improves symptoms in most patients with CD. The practicalities of this however, are difficult, as (i) many processed foods are contaminated with gluten, (ii) staple GF foods are not widely available, and (iii) the GF substitutes are often expensive. Furthermore, (iv) the restrictions of the diet may adversely affect social interactions and quality of life. The inclusion of oats and wheat starch in the diet remains controversial.
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Screening for celiac disease in the general population and in high-risk groups.
Ludvigsson, JF, Card, TR, Kaukinen, K, Bai, J, Zingone, F, Sanders, DS, Murray, JA
United European gastroenterology journal. 2015;(2):106-20
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BACKGROUND Celiac disease (CD) occurs in approximately 1% of the Western population. It is a lifelong disorder that is associated with impaired quality of life (QOL) and an excessive risk of comorbidity and death. OBJECTIVES To review the literature on screening for CD in relation to the current World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for mass screening. METHODS We performed a PubMed search to identify indexed papers on CD screening with a publication date from 1900 until 1 June 2014. When we deemed an abstract relevant, we read the corresponding paper in detail. RESULTS CD fulfills several WHO criteria for mass screening (high prevalence, available treatment and difficult clinical detection), but it has not yet been established that treatment of asymptomatic CD may reduce the excessive risk of severe complications, leading to higher QOL nor that it is cost-effective. CONCLUSIONS Current evidence is not sufficient to support mass screening for CD, but active case-finding may be appropriate, as we recognize that most patients with CD will still be missed by this strategy. Although proof of benefit is still lacking, screening for CD may be appropriate in high-risk groups.
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Celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
Lebwohl, B, Ludvigsson, JF, Green, PH
BMJ (Clinical research ed.). 2015;:h4347
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Celiac disease is a multisystem immune based disorder that is triggered by the ingestion of gluten in genetically susceptible individuals. The prevalence of celiac disease has risen in recent decades and is currently about 1% in most Western populations. The reason for this rise is unknown, although environmental factors related to the hygiene hypothesis are suspected. The pathophysiology of celiac disease involves both the innate and adaptive immune response to dietary gluten. Clinical features are diverse and include gastrointestinal symptoms, metabolic bone disease, infertility, and many other manifestations. Although a gluten-free diet is effective in most patients, this diet can be burdensome and can limit quality of life; consequently, non-dietary therapies are at various stages of development. This review also covers non-celiac gluten sensitivity. The pathophysiology of this clinical phenotype is poorly understood, but it is a cause of increasing interest in gluten-free diets in the general population.
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Support for patients with celiac disease: A literature review.
Ludvigsson, JF, Card, T, Ciclitira, PJ, Swift, GL, Nasr, I, Sanders, DS, Ciacci, C
United European gastroenterology journal. 2015;(2):146-59
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BACKGROUND Celiac disease (CD) is a lifelong disorder. Patients are at increased risk of complications and comorbidity. OBJECTIVES We conducted a review of the literature on patient support and information in CD and aim to issue recommendations about patient information with regards to CD. DATA SOURCE We searched PubMed for English-language articles published between 1900 and June 2014, containing terms related to costs, economics of CD, or education and CD. STUDY SELECTION Papers deemed relevant by any of the participating authors were included in the study. DATA SYNTHESIS No quantitative synthesis of data was performed. Instead we formulated a consensus view of the information that should be offered to all patients with CD. RESULTS There are few randomized clinical trials examining the effect of patient support in CD. Patients and their families receive information from many sources. It is important that health care personnel guide the patient through the plethora of facts and comments on the Internet. An understanding of CD is likely to improve dietary adherence. Patients should be educated about current knowledge about risk factors for CD, as well as the increased risk of complications. Patients should also be advised to avoid other health hazards, such as smoking. Many patients are eager to learn about future non-dietary treatments of CD. This review also comments on novel therapies but it is important to stress that no such treatment is available at present. CONCLUSION Based on mostly observational data, we suggest that patient support and information should be an integral part of the management of CD, and is likely to affect the outcome of CD.
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Mortality and malignancy in celiac disease.
Ludvigsson, JF
Gastrointestinal endoscopy clinics of North America. 2012;(4):705-22
Abstract
This article reviews the risk of mortality and malignancy in celiac disease (CD) and examines the evidence of the protective effect of a gluten-free diet (GFD) on mortality and malignancy. Population-based studies have confirmed that patients with diagnosed CD are at increased risk of mortality. However, patients with CD do not seem to be at an increased risk of malignancy, except for an increased risk of lymphoproliferative malignancy and gastrointestinal cancer. The evidence that a GFD reduces the risk of mortality is weak, but there is some evidence suggesting that a GFD may reduce the risk of lymphoproliferative malignancy.
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Timing of introduction of gluten and celiac disease risk.
Ludvigsson, JF, Fasano, A
Annals of nutrition & metabolism. 2012;:22-9
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Breast milk is the natural nutrition for infants, but in the second half of the first year of life, complementary feeding is needed. Many complementary foods contain gluten, but gluten exposure is associated with the risk of developing celiac disease (CD). CD is a disease with considerable morbidity and mortality. Although CD is associated with certain genetic features, carrying the human leukocyte antigen haplotypes DQ2 or DQ8 (a prerequisite for CD development) cannot fully explain who will or who will not develop CD. Potential risk factors for CD include perinatal events and infant feeding practice. With the exception that children who are breastfed at and beyond gluten introduction into the diet probably may be at a lower risk of developing CD, and that heavy gluten load early in life may increase the risk of future CD, data on the impact of infant feeding are inconsistent.