Evaluation of Gluten-free Diet on the Heart Functions in Children with Celiac Disease

Background Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune mediated gluten sensitive enteropathy and a chronic inflammatory condition caused by immune pathology in the small intestines in genetically susceptible individuals. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of gluten free diet on cardiac functions using conventional and Doppler tissue echocardiography (DTE) in children with CD compared to controls. Materials and Methods  This case-control study was conducted on 107 children with CD and 45 healthy children. The study was performed in the Ali Ebne Abi Talib hospital, affiliated to Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan (ZaUMS), Iran. After considering exclusion criteria, participants underwent echocardiography. Data were analyzed through SPSS software version 20.0. Results: Results showed that tTG-IgA was different in participants. Left MPI was different in control-positive (p<0.001), control-newly diagnosed (p=0.024), and positive-negative (p<0.001). Right MPI was different in control-positive (p<0.001), control-newly diagnosed (p=0.024), positive-negative (p<0.001), and negative-newly diagnosed (p<0.001). Left MPI’ was different in control-positive (p<0.001), control-newly diagnosed (p<0.001), positive-negative (p=0.014), and negative-newly diagnosed (p=0.010). Right MPI’ was different in control-positive (p<0.001), control-newly diagnosed (p<0.001), positive–negative (p=0.010), and negative-newly diagnosed (p=0.034). Left DT was different in positive-negative. Right ET was different in control-positive, control-newly diagnosed, positive-negative and negative-newly diagnosed. Right AT was different in positive-negative and positive-newly diagnosed. Conclusion It was concluded in patients with positive response to gluten free diet that some heart functions were similar to the controls and in patients with negative response, some were similar to newly diagnosed patients. Diastolic and systolic dysfunctions are important findings in CD children and TDE is a better method to identify cardiac involvements in subclinical patients with CD.      

Keywords:

Cardiac Involvements , Celiac , Children , Gluten