Systemic neuroimmune responses in people with non-specific neck pain and cervical radiculopathy, and associations with clinical, psychological, and lifestyle factors.

Neuroimmune responses remain understudied in people with neck pain. This study aimed to (1) compare a broad range of systemic neuroimmune responses in people with non-specific neck pain (N = 112), cervical radiculopathy (N = 25), and healthy participants (N = 23); and (2) explore their associations with clinical, psychological and lifestyle factors. Quantification of systemic neuroimmune responses involved ex vivo serum and in vitro evoked-release levels of inflammatory markers, and characterization of white blood cell phenotypes. Inflammatory indices were calculated to obtain a measure of total immune status and were considered the main outcomes. Differences between groups were tested using analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) and multivariable regression models. Compared to healthy participants, the ex vivo pro-inflammatory index was increased in people with non-specific neck pain (ß = 0.70, p = 0.004) and people with cervical radiculopathy (ß = 0.64, p = 0.04). There was no difference between non-specific neck pain and cervical radiculopathy (ß = 0.23, p = 0.36). Compared to non-specific neck pain, people with cervical radiculopathy showed lower numbers of monocytes (ß = -59, p = 0.01). There were no differences between groups following in vitro whole blood stimulation (p ≥ 0.23) or other differences in the number and phenotype of white blood cells (p ≥ 0.07). The elevated ex vivo neuroimmune responses in people with non-specific neck pain and radiculopathy support the contention that these conditions encompass inflammatory components that can be measured systemically. There were multiple significant associations with clinical, psychological and lifestyle factors, such as pain intensity (ß = 0.25) and anxiety (ß = 0.23) in non-specific neck pain, visceral adipose tissue (ß = 0.43) and magnification (ß = 0.59) in cervical radiculopathy, and smoking (ß = 0.59) and visceral adipose tissue (ß = 0.52) in healthy participants. These associations were modified by sex, indicating different neuroimmune associations for females and males.

HLA-DQ Typing Kits in Diagnosis and Screening for Celiac Disease.

Aim: Celiac disease (CD) is strongly associated with HLA-DQ2.2, HLA-DQ2.5, and HLA-DQ8. Up to 99.7% of all CD patients are positive for either one or two of these genetic markers, demonstrating a high negative predictive value. This has led to the development of diagnostic kits that, instead of providing a full HLA-DQ typing, detect only these three HLA-DQ types. Our aim was to compare three different kits for their performance, utilization, and costs. Because 0.4-3.6% of all CD patients test positive for HLA-DQ7 and negative for the aforementioned types, information provided by the kits regarding DQ7 alpha and beta chains was evaluated as well. Materials and Methods: Fifty DNA samples previously typed with the SSCP method were analyzed using three commercial kits. Results and Discussion: All kits report hetero- or homozygosity for HLA-DQ2.5. The XeliGen kit directly detects HLA-DQ7, but is relatively expensive. The MLPA kit is the least expensive in terms of reagents and may indirectly detect HLA-DQ7. The CeliaSCAN kit is easy to use and provides indirect information about HLA-DQ7.5. Conclusion: All kits correctly identify the CD risk genes. The resources of the laboratory and the intended use should determine the preference for any of the HLA-DQ typing kits herein described.

Consumption of gluten with gluten-degrading enzyme by celiac patients: a pilot-study.

AIM: To assesses the safety and efficacy of Aspergillus niger prolyl endoprotease (AN-PEP) to mitigate the immunogenic effects of gluten in celiac patients. METHODS: Patients with initial diagnosis of celiac disease as confirmed by positive serology with subtotal or total villous atrophy on duodenal biopsies who adhere to a strict gluten-free diet (GFD) resulting in normalised antibodies and mucosal healing classified as Marsh 0 or I were included. In a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled pilot study, patients consumed toast (approximately 7 g/d gluten) with AN-PEP for 2 wk (safety phase). After a 2-wk washout period with adherence of the usual GFD, 14 patients were randomised to gluten intake with either AN-PEP or placebo for 2 wk (efficacy phase). Measurements at baseline included complaints, quality-of-life, serum antibodies, immunophenotyping of T-cells and duodenal mucosa immunohistology. Furthermore, serum and quality of life questionnaires were collected during and after the safety, washout and efficacy phase. Duodenal biopsies were collected after the safety phase and after the efficacy phase. A change in histological evaluation according to the modified Marsh classification was the primary endpoint. RESULTS: In total, 16 adults were enrolled in the study. No serious adverse events occurred during the trial and no patients withdrew during the trial. The mean score for the gastrointestinal subcategory of the celiac disease quality (CDQ) was relatively high throughout the study, indicating that AN-PEP was well tolerated. In the efficacy phase, the CDQ scores of patients consuming gluten with placebo or gluten with AN-PEP did not significantly deteriorate and moreover no differences between the groups were observed. During the efficacy phase, neither the placebo nor the AN-PEP group developed significant antibody titers. The IgA-EM concentrations remained negative in both groups. Two patients were excluded from entering the efficacy phase as their mucosa showed an increase of two Marsh steps after the safety phase, yet with undetectable serum antibodies, while 14 patients were considered histologically stable on gluten with AN-PEP. Also after the efficacy phase, no significant deterioration was observed regarding immunohistological and flow cytometric evaluation in the group consuming placebo compared to the group receiving AN-PEP. Furthermore, IgA-tTG deposit staining increased after 2 wk of gluten compared to baseline in four out of seven patients on placebo. In the seven patients receiving AN-PEP, one patient showed increased and one showed decreased IgA-tTG deposits. CONCLUSION: AN-PEP appears to be well tolerated. However, the primary endpoint was not met due to lack of clinical deterioration upon placebo, impeding an effect of AN-PEP.

Serum parameters in the spectrum of coeliac disease: beyond standard antibody testing--a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Invasive techniques are still required to distinguish between uncomplicated and complicated forms of CD. METHODS: We set out to investigate the potential use of novel serum parameters, including IL-6, IL-8, IL-17, IL-22, sCD25, sCD27, granzyme-B, sMICA and sCTLA-4 in patients diagnosed with active CD, CD on a GFD, Refractory coeliac disease (RCD) type I and II, and enteropathy associated T-cell lymphoma (EATL). RESULTS: In both active CD and RCDI-II elevated levels of the proinflammatory IL-8, IL-17 and sCD25 were observed. In addition, RCDII patients displayed higher serum levels of soluble granzyme-B and IL-6 in comparison to active CD patients. In contrast, no differences between RCDI and active CD or RCDII were observed. Furthermore, EATL patients displayed higher levels of IL-6 as compared to all other groups. CONCLUSIONS: A series of novel serum parameters reveal distinctive immunological characteristics of RCDII and EATL in comparison to uncomplicated CD and RCDI.