Study of the immune response in celiac patients with selective IgA deficiency who start a gluten-free diet

Abstract

Studies are scarce regarding IgG anti-tissue transglutaminase 2 (tTG) normalization in selective IgA deficient (SIgAD) celiac disease (CD) patients after beginning a gluten free diet (GFD). The aim of this study is to analyse the decreasing dynamics of IgG anti-tTG in patients diagnosed with CD who start a GFD. To achieve this objective, IgG and IgA anti-tTG levels at diagnosis and during follow-up in 11 SIgAD CD patients and in 20 IgA competent CD patients were retrospectively evaluated. At diagnosis, statistical differences were not found when comparing IgA anti-tTG levels of IgA competent subjects with IgG anti-tTG levels of SIgAD subjects. Regarding the decreasing dynamics, even though no statistical differences were found (p = 0.06), normalization rates were slower for SIgAD CD patients. After 1 and 2 years on GFD, respectively, only 18.2% and 36.3% of the SIgAD CD patients normalized IgG anti-tTG levels; otherwise, IgA anti-tTG reached values under the reference values in 30% and 80% of the IgA competent patients in the same time-points. Although IgG anti-tTG has demonstrated a high diagnostic efficiency in SIgAD CD pediatric patients, this test does not appear to be as precise for long-term GFD response monitoring as IgA anti-tTG levels in IgA sufficient patients.

Keywords: Anti-endomysium antibodies; Celiac disease; Children; Follow-up; Selective IgA deficiency; Tissue transglutaminase.