Contact Dermatitis Due to Nickel Allergy in Patients Suffering from Non-Celiac Wheat Sensitivity.

BACKGROUND:  Non-celiac wheat sensitivity (NCWS) is a new clinical entity in the world of  gluten-related diseases. Nickel, the most frequent cause of contact allergy, can be found in wheat  and results in systemic nickel allergy syndrome and mimics irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).  Objective: To evaluate the frequency of contact dermatitis due to nickel allergy in NCWS patients  diagnosed by a double-blind placebo-controlled(DBPC)challenge,and to identify  the  characteristics  of  NCWS  patients  with  nickel  allergy.  Methods: We performed  a prospective study  of 60 patients (54 females, 6 males; mean age 34.1 ± 8.1 years) diagnosed with NCWS from  December  2014 to November 2016; 80 age- and sex-matched subjects with functional gastrointestina l symptoms served as controls. Patients reporting contact dermatitis related to nickel-containing objects  underwent  nickel  patch  test  (Clinicaltrials.gov  registration number: NCT02750735). RESULTS:   Six  out  of  sixty  patients  (10%)  with  NCWS  suffered  from contact dermatitis and  nickel allergy  and  this  frequency  was  statistically  higher (p = 0.04)than observed in the control group(5%. The main clinical characteristic of  NCWS  patients with nickel allergy was a  higher frequency  of  cutaneous  symptoms  after  wheat ingestion compared to NCWS patients who did not suffer  from  nickel  allergy  (p < 0.0001. CONCLUSIONS:  Contact dermatitis and nickel allergy  are more  frequent  in  NCWS  patients than  in  subjects  with  functional gastrointestinal disorders;furthermore, these patients had a very high frequency of cutaneous manifestations after wheat  ingestion.  Nickel  allergy  should  be  evaluated  in  NCWS  patients  who  have  cutaneous  manifestations after wheat ingestion.

Correlation between osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.

Several evidences have shown in the last years a possible correlation between cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis. Patients affected with osteoporosis, for example, have a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases than subjects with normal bone mass. However, the heterogeneous approaches and the different populations that have been studied so far have limited the strength of the findings. Studies conducted in animal models show that vascular calcification is a very complex mechanism that involves similar pathways described in the normal bone calcification. Proteins like BMP, osteopontin, osteoprotegerin play an important role at the bone level but are also highly expressed in the calcified vascular tissue. In particular, it seems that the OPG protect from vascular calcification and elevated levels have been found in patients with CVD. Other factors like oxidative stress, inflammation, free radicals, lipids metabolism are involved in this complex scenario. It is not a case that medications used for treating osteoporosis also inhibit the atherosclerotic process, acting on blood pressure and ventricular hypertrophy. Given the limited amount of available data, further studies are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms between osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease which may be important in the future also for preventive and therapeutic approaches of both conditions.

Vγ9Vδ2 T lymphocytes activation in osteoporotic patients treated with bisphosphonates.

Treatment with bisphosphonates induces differentiation and activation of Vγ9Vδ2 T lymphocytes obtained from peripheral blood showing also an antitumoral effect in both in vitro and in vivo models. Aim of the present study was to determine in vivo the effect of BPs treatment in patients affected with osteoporosis on Vγ9Vδ2 T lymphocytes. We have studied Vγ9Vδ2 T lymphocytes expansion and differentiation from PBMC obtained from osteoporotic patients treated with one of the following bisphosphonates zoledronate, alendronate, neridronate or risedronate. We have found that zoledronic acid, followed by alendronate was the most effective on reducing CM population (100%) and increasing TEM and TEMRA γδ population. Our results indicate that in vivo treatment with BPs induces Vγ9Vδ2 cells to mature toward the effector phenotype, which may induce more antiresorptive responses.

Multiple sclerosis-like neurological manifestations in a coeliac patient: nothing is as it seems.

Cobalamin (vitamin B12) deficiency occurs with several disorders, involving different organs and systems, including blood, bowel, nervous system and eyes. Although the most important features are usually haematological ones, presence of neurological involvement, in the absence of blood count alterations, has just been described in the literature. Here we report the case of a 48-year-old man, suffering from coeliac disease for approximately 5 years, vegetarian, who was admitted to our department, referring dysaesthesia of the left lower limb, decreased libido and erectile dysfunction. Vitamin B12 deficiency was proved, even in the absence of blood count alteration, and treated with a vitamin supplement, resulting in complete remission.