Wednesday 8 May 2013

Gluten exclusion for cases of diarrhoea predominant IBS

If I had the intellect I would try and deliver this very concise entry in the form of a witty poem or ditty just to try and make things a little more entertaining for readers rather than enduring yet another dry excuse for not making a proper "chatty" post. Unfortunately, I am to poetry what chocolate is to teapot material, so won't even try.

Instead I offer a link to a potentially very, very interesting trial by Maria Vazquez–Roque and colleagues* (open-access) reporting physiological results based on the use of a gluten-free diet for cases of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) diarrhoea predominant type. The accompanying editorial by Lowe and Moseley** does a great job of summing up what Vazquez-Roque et al found, so leaves me very little to add.

Basically, under randomised-controlled conditions, "Patients on the gluten-containing diet exhibited greater small intestinal permeability than those on the gluten-free diet. The study was able to measure significant changes that provided physiologic support for a gluten-free diet in patients with IBS-D without celiac disease".

Whilst small intestinal permeability - also known as gut hyperpermeability or leaky gut - is already discussed in coeliac disease (CD) circles, the added-value from this recent trial is the suggestion that the effect of gluten on permeability might extend slightly outside of just diagnosed CD. I'm not getting into the nitty-gritty of the MHC and those CD-related serotypes at this point even though they were important to the findings. Also too were some interesting results based on those tight junction proteins including 'General' zonulin.

I do wonder how far outside of CD and indeed IBS-D we might venture with these findings. Y'know that very interesting paper from Laura de Magistris and colleagues*** (discussed here) with autism in mind; bearing in mind of course the experimental differences between the studies and that autism is not IBS....

Maybe also at this point I'll also introduce the latest study by Jessica Biesiekierski and colleagues**** on non-coeliac gluten sensitivity (see here) in relation to FODMAPs and gluten as further fodder for consumption.

Now, 'the boy stood on the burning deck....' (scroll down the link to see the Spike Milligan parody).

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* Vazquez–Roque MI. et al. A Controlled Trial of Gluten-Free Diet in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome-Diarrhea: Effects on Bowel Frequency and Intestinal Function. Gastroenterology. 2013; 144: 903-911.

** Lowe AW. & Moseley RH. Covering the Cover. Gastroenterology. 2013; 144: 859-862.

*** de Magistris L. et al. Alterations of the intestinal barrier in patients with autism spectrum disorders and in their first-degree relatives. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2010; 51: 418-424.

**** Biesiekierski JR. et al. No Effects of Gluten in Patients with Self-Reported Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity Following Dietary Reduction of Low-Fermentable, Poorly-Absorbed, Short-Chain Carbohydrates. Gastroenterology. May 2013.

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