Separating Forms of Gluten Sensitivity
Only rarely should gluten sensitivity be without cause. Generally, the sensitivity can be split between celiac disease, gluten sensitivity and wheat allergy. Since individuals with celiac disease can also have wheat allergy, a finding of wheat allergy does not eliminate the possibility of enteropathy. Individuals highly suspected of having celiac disease may be tested for anti-transglutaminase antibodies followed by duodenal biopsy; this test will confirm or refute active celiac disease. The study that recommends this, however, has a number of ATA positive/biopsy-negative individuals, this could result from patchy villous atrophy or subclinical pathology.
One current study recommended at biopsy samples running distally from the duodenum to avoid the risk of false negatives. Eliminating the possibility of celiac disease can generally be done by adding HLA-DQ typing, in which DQ2 and DQ8 are found in enteropathy 98% of the time in caucasians, DQ7.5 the remaining 1.6% and 0.4% not found with either of these 3. Without ATA or HLA-DQ2/8 positivity, celiac disease is not likely the cause of the sensitivity. In either case, other avenues of diagnostics, such as allergy testing are available.
Rarely gluten sensitivity may be idiopathic, a potential that wheat proteins play a role in other disease, in these instances DQ1 may be associated with sensitivity. There is research showing that in certain patients with gluten ataxia early diagnosis and treatment with a GFD can improve ataxia and prevent its progression.
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