ANTI-ALPHA-GLIADIN ANTIBODIES ARE NOT PREDICTIVE OF CELIAC-DISEASE INJUVENILE CHRONIC ARTHRITIS

Some authors have recently reported an increased level of antigluten a ntibodies in rheumatoid arthritis, both in the adult and juvenile form . The real meaning of these antibodies is still unclear. We ascertaine d the levels of antigluten antibodies in a group of children with juve nile chronic arthritis to determine if these antibodies were linked wi th celiac disease and/or to increased intestinal permeability. In 18 o f 53 patients (33.9%), the levels of antigluten antibodies (IgA or IgG ) were higher than normal. No correlation was found between the increa se in antigluten antibodies and the positive lactulose/mannitol test, used for determining increased intestinal permeability. In all eight p atients undergoing intestinal biopsy due to abnormal levels of antiglu ten antibodies (IgA class), intestinal mucosa was normal. In conclusio n, our study shows that in patients with juvenile chronic arthritis, i mmunological response to gluten is neither related to celiac disease n or to increased intestinal permeability.