Celiac Crisis: an unusual presentation of gluten-sensitive enteropathy

Celiac disease (CD)­also known as gluten-sensitive enteropathy­is a chronic, genetically predisposing and autoimmune entity with a wide range of clinical manifestations triggered by gluten ingestion, which affects 1% of the general population. Currently, up to 60% of the diagnosis of CD is in adults due to the atypical course of the disease. The severe acute onset of CD­also called celiac crisis­is very uncommon and is still not well documented in adults. We report the case of a 58-year-old man who presented a 45-day history of subtle-onset diarrhea followed by malabsorption syndrome with progressive weight loss, anasarca, and electrolyte disturbances. The diagnostic work-up included an upper digestive endoscopy, which showed scalloping of the duodenal mucosa with pathological features confirmed on biopsies. Specific antibodies were positive, and a satisfactory clinical response was obtained once a gluten-free diet was started. Celiac crisis is a rare initial presentation of CD characterized by severe diarrhea, dehydration, weight loss, hypoproteinemia, and metabolic and electrolyte disturbances. Although rare, it should be considered in patients with apparently unexplained chronic diarrhea.

Uso del HeberFast Line® anti-transglutaminasa para pesquisa de enfermedad celiaca en pacientes pediátricos / Use of HeberFast Line® antitransglutaminase antibodies for the celiac disease screening in pediatric patients

Introducción: la enfermedad celiaca es una enteropatía autoinmune sensible al gluten y otras prolaminas, con base genética, que se genera al contacto del paciente con esas proteínas presentes en el trigo, la cebada y el centeno, que provoca síntomas intestinales y extra intestinales. En Cuba su diagnóstico ha progresado, desde criterios clínicos a pruebas inmunológicas y genéticas, sumándose a la biopsia intestinal. Objetivo: realizar pesquisa de muestras de sangre, usando el test cubano de HeberFast Line® anti-transglutaminasa para conocer la frecuencia de este marcador en una población infantil atendida en nuestro laboratorio. Métodos: se estudiaron 850 muestras de sangre con la finalidad de detectar la presencia de anti-transglutaminasa tisular. Resultados: dentro de nuestra investigación resultaron positivas 10 muestras (1,18 por ciento), lo que concuerda con lo reportado en la literatura revisada. Otras 75 muestras (8,8 por ciento), fueron no válidas para el primer intento, fenómeno descrito por los productores del test y fácilmente superable, utilizando nuevamente la muestra en cuestión, y todas ellas, al ser analizadas por segunda vez, pasaron a la categoría de negativas. Finalmente, 98,82 por ciento de las muestras analizadas fueron negativas. Conclusiones: el 1,18 por ciento de las muestras analizadas contenían anticuerpos anti-transglutaminasa tisular, por lo tanto, ~1 de cada 100 niños pueden padecer de enfermedad celiaca; además, esta prueba constituye una herramienta útil en el diagnóstico precoz, que como se observa, no es tan infrecuente en nuestro país(AU)

Introduction: celiac disease is an autoinmune enteropathy sensitive to gluten and other prolamines, with genetic basis. It generates when the patient gets in contact with those proteins present in wheat, barley and rye and causes intestinal and extraintestinal symptoms. The diagnosis of this disease has advanced from clinical criteria to immune and genetic tests in addition to intestinal biopsy. Objective: to perform screening of blood samples by using the Cuban test called HeberFast Line® antitransglutaminase to find out the frequency of this marker in the infant population tested in our laboratory. Methods: fight hundred and fifty blood samples were studied to detect the presence of tissue antitransglutaminase antibodies. Results: in our research work, 10 samples were positive (1.18 percent), which agrees with the reports of the reviewed literatura. Other 75 samples (8.8 percent) were not valid for the fist attempt, an event described by the test manufacturers, which can be easily solved by using the sample again and then analyzed for the second time; they changed to the caterogy of negative samples. Finally, 98.82 percent of the analyzed samples were negative. Conclusions: in the study samples, 1.18 percent had tissue antitransglutaminase antibodies, so roughly 1 per 100 children may suffer from celiac disease; additionally, this test is a useful tool for an early diagnosis that is not so uncommon in our country(AU)