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Hepatic damage in gluten sensitive enteropathy
Author(s) -
AltuntaŞ Buket,
Kansu Aydan,
Girgin Nurten
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
pediatrics international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.49
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1442-200X
pISSN - 1328-8067
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-200x.1998.tb01997.x
Subject(s) - medicine , enteropathy , gastroenterology , gluten , liver biopsy , autoimmune hepatitis , gliadin , primary biliary cirrhosis , gluten free , hepatosplenomegaly , hepatitis , cirrhosis , biopsy , pathology , disease
Background:Gluten sensitive enteropathy has been reported to occur concomitantly with liver abnormalities, such as primary biliary cirrhosis, chronic active hepatitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis.Methods:Duodenal biopsy was performed in nine children (all with short stature, five with chronic diarrhea and three with hepatosplenomegaly of unknown etiology) with a possible diagnosis of gluten sensitive enteropathy. All of the patients had different abnormalities in serum aminotransferase levels. With the help of laboratory investigations, viral, autoimmune, metabolic and toxic etiologies which cause hepatic damage were excluded. Liver biopsy was performed in five of these patients, two showing fibrosis and three non‐specific reactive changes. Gliadin antibodies were measured in six cases.Results:Intestinal mucosal histopathology was compatible with gluten sensitive enteropathy in all patients. While immunoglobulin (Ig) G gliadin antibodies were positive in all cases, only three cases were found to have positive IgA gliadin antibodies. After a gluten‐free diet, levels of transaminases fell to normal within 3 months and remained so in seven of these patients. A second intestinal biopsy, which was performed after 1 year of gluten‐free diet revealed normal intestinal mucosa in all patients.Conclusion:Gluten sensitive enteropathy should be considered when evaluating a child with elevated levels of serum transaminase and in cases with cryptogenic liver disease.