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Ten facts you need to know about celiac genetic testing
2008-04-17 06:42:00
Celiac disease is a genetic disorder. There are many unanswered questions about the genetics but much has been learned. Here are 10 facts you need to know about celiac disease genetic testing.10 facts you need to know about celiac disease genetic testing.1. Genetic testing can help determine your risk as well as your children’s risk for celiac disease.2. Celiac genetic tests are readily available and can be done on blood or on a sample from a mouth swab but your doctor may unaware of the tests, how to order them, or how to interpret the results. 3. Genetic testing can be done whether you are eating gluten or not eating gluten. Blood tests for celiac disease antibodies however need to be done while eating gluten and become negative within a few weeks of restricting gluten.4. Your insurance may not pay for the test. Even if your insurance covers the test they likely will require a pre-authorization. When ordering the tests the following diagnostic codes are helpful: 579.0 (Celia...
More About: Facts , Testing , Celiac

What are mast cells and why should I be interested? More on mastocytic ente
2008-02-24 05:15:00
Why should you be interested in mast cells? Do you have unexplained or poorly controlled symptoms? Do you have severe allergies and/or suspected food intolerance or sensitivity resulting in various health problems. Are your health problems difficult to shake, reverse, or are they being blamed on poorly understood diseases? Have you been told you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) but have had little improvement with the treatments offered or recommended to you? Then you should be interested in learning more about mast cells. A mast cell problem might very well be the cause. They are, at least, likely to be contributing to your feeling ill. They are known to cause severe allergies, unexplained or difficult to treat symptoms effecting numerous parts of the body. The good news is that there are several effective treatments available for mast cell conditions. However, a mast cell problem needs to be suspected before it can be confirmed.What are mast cells?Mast cells are unique immune...

New changes in Prometheus celiac disease DQ genetic reporting help determin
2008-02-09 23:24:00
Prometheus Therapeutics and Diagnostics has modified their celiac genetics testing and reporting. They are now including the number of copies of DQ2 and DQ8. Along with the DQ results they also include a table that summarizes the risk of celiac disease over the general population. Previously Prometheus only reported the presence or absence of DQ2 or DQ8. If you happened to be positive for both DQ2 and DQ8 then we knew your entire DQ pattern. However, if you only had one copy of either or two copies of one the results had less value for determining your risk of celiac disease, its severity and the possible risk of your parents and children for having at least one copy of the at risk genes predisposing to celiac disease. Now Prometheus provides a very detailed report of the DQ2 and DQ8 genes detected along with an estimate of your risk of celiac disease. They also include a table that summarizes the various at risk DQ patterns and their relative risk compared to the general populatio...
More About: Celiac , Disease , Celiac Disease

Questions and Answers About the Diagnosis and Treatment of Mastocytic Enter
2008-02-05 09:30:00
WHAT IS MASTOCYTIC ENTEROCOLITIS?Mastocytic enterocolitis (entero-small intestine, colitis- colon+ -itis or inflammation) is a relatively new condition inflammatory bowel disease to be recognized. It is characterized by increased number of mast cells in the intestine surface lining, also known as the mucosa. Mast cells are a type of blood cell. They are involved in various immune and infection fighting processes in the body. In the gastrointestinal tract typically around 12 mast cells can be seen per high power field (40X magnification) under the microscope. In mastocytic enterocolitis is now defined by the presence of 20 or more mast cells per HPF in the small intestine and/or colon. WHAT ARE MAST CELLS AND WHY ARE INCREASED NUMBERS PRESENT IN MASTOCYTIC ENTEROCOLITIS?Mast cells are present in the blood, bone marrow and various tissues throughout the body. They originally arise from the bone marrow and migrate to other areas as needed. Rat studies have previously confirmed that str...
More About: Questions , Treatment , Answers , Questions and Answers , Enter

Mastocytic enterocolitis: A new epidemic, mastocytic inflammatory bowel dis
2008-02-04 08:01:00
Mastocytic enterocolitis is a new entity that has been described more recently as a condition characterized by increase mast cells of 20 or more per high-powered field in the duodenum or colon. Jakate et al. described 47 patients with intractable diarrhea and abdominal pain without other cause who had elevated mast cell numbers in intestinal biopsies and responded to therapy directed at mast cells. The patients generally met criteria for diarrhea predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Normal subjects had much lower levels of mast cells of an average of 12 per HPF. Until recently this condition was missed due to lack of ability to see mast cells on biopsies in the background of normal cells. However, commercially available special stains utilizing immunohistochemistry for the enzyme tryptase allows the mucosal mast cells to be seen and counted in intestinal tissue obtained from routine random intestinal biopsies. Over the past year I have been asking the pathologists to perform ...
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Update on genetics of celiac disease
2008-02-04 07:53:00
Genetic tests exist for Celiac disease and are highly accurate for determining the risk of the disease. When a complete genetic panel is performed the possibility that someone having or ever getting Celiac disease can be determined to an extremely high degree of certainty. Unfortunately, some tests are misleading because they do not include a portion of the genetic pattern that may be present that can predispose to the disease yet the report may imply absence of increased risk. Some tests can be done without a doctor’s order. Insurance coverage for the tests is highly variable. A couple of laboratories can run the tests on samples obtained from a mouth swab that is painless and well accepted by children. Genetic testing can be done at any age whereas blood tests for Celiac disease are not recommended before a year of age. Celiac disease genetic tests are not influenced by whether one is eating or not eating gluten. If you do not have the commonly recognized genetic patterns associ...
More About: Update , Disease , Celiac Disease , Genetics

VSL#3 DS probiotic gluten free but only available in powder by prescription
2008-01-28 05:47:00
In a previous report on the probiotic VSL#3, I stated that VSL#3 DS (double strength) came in a capsule form that is gluten free. VSL#3 DS does not come in capsules. However, it does appear to be gluten free. VSL#3 DS is only available in sachets of powder. VSL#3 DS requires a prescription but the other forms of VSL#3 are available over the counter (OTC) without the need of a doctor's prescription. As far as I can determine, the prescription strength form of VSL#3, VSL#3 DS, is gluten free since it is unflavored. The flavored form of VSL#3 powder contains maltose that according to the manufacturer, is derived from barley. Though they report the maltose is highly processed to the point they believe no gluten residues remain they cannot insure it is gluten-free. To take VSL#3 DS and VSL#3 OTC powder, you simply dissolve one or more packets in water or another liquid and drink it. The OTC VSL#3 capsules can be taken orally and do not contain maltose so should be free of gluten like t...
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Is the probiotic VSL#3 gluten free?
2008-01-12 23:46:00
Is the probiotic VSL#3 gluten free?Reports of the probiotic VSL#3 may contain small amounts of gluten are quite disturbing to me because I have recommended it to many of patients. I have also taken it personally and recommended to my wife who has severe celiac disease complicated by the skin disorder dermatitis herpetiformis. So, I initiated an investigation. My research indicates flavored VSL#3, containing maltose derived from barley may not be gluten free, but the unflavored powder and capsule preparations are likely gluten free. I review my research and discuss my the importance of this issue as well as provide my opinions and recommendations regarding the use of VSL#3 below. Interestingly, the U.K. website for VSL#3 states it is not gluten free.What does the maker of VSL#3 say about its gluten free status?A medical affairs representative for Sigma Tau Pharmaceuticals, the maker of VSL#3, gave me permission to write about our conversation. I also spoke to Mary Schluckebier, Execu...
More About: Free , Gluten Free

Leaky gut- Part 2 The concept of gut permeability.
2008-01-02 00:42:00
Various substances, especially nutrients, water, salt, minerals and vitamins must pass through either through the cells lining gut or between the cells (paracelluar) when the tight junctions are allowed to open. Small substances such as simple sugars and water pass easily through the cells but larger substances need more space and must come through between the cells in the paracelluar space by triggering zonulin to act on occludens to open up the tight junctions, making the gut lining in essence temporarily “leaky”. The increase in gut permeability is important for normal absorption and secretion function of the digestive tract. However, abnormal increases in gut permeability are now recognized as being very important if not the critical step in various disease processes. Though many in the medical field are now researching and publishing articles on gut permeability, including using terms such as leaky gut or leaky intestine, there is still a great deal of resistance to the t...
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Leaky Gut Part 1-The intact gut lining
2008-01-02 00:33:00
To help those who are reading my blog understand the role of the digestive tract in health and disease I am writing a series of short articles. First we will explore the basic anatomy and function of the gut so you can understand the role of food proteins, bacteria, yeast, medication and stress in leaky gut. The first concept to understand is that of the limited protective barrier provided by the single layer of intestinal cells. A single layer of cells only lines our digestive tract. These cells are joined together by proteins that produce tight junctions in the intact gut. These tight junctions serve as a barrier as well as a normal site of entry. Surrounding these barrier cells are mobile immune cells that contribute to the primary immune defense of the gut. The lining cells are types of epithelial cells. They are named by their location and function. In the small intestine or bowel these cells are called enterocytes. In the intestine these epithelial cells or enterocytes are pos...
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Free Weekly Digestive Health SmartBrief
2007-12-31 23:19:00
A free weekly Free Digestive Health SmartBrief is available from The American College of Gastroenterology (ACG). Just enter your email along with your choice of gastroenterogist. If your doctor or someone in your area is not available you may choose Lewey, Scot, Colorado Springs as illustrated below.You will receive a weekly newsletter that has tons of helpful information and updates from the ACG. Your email is secure and you may unsubscribe at anytime. I receive the physician's version and find it very informative and timely. The newsletter contributes to my goal of helping you achieve a "healthy gut, healthy life". Sincerely,Dr. Scot Michael Lewey“Dr. Celiac, the food doc”www.thefooddoc.cominfo@thefooddoc.c om1699 Medical Center PointColorado Springs CO 80907Copyright © 2008, The Food Doc, LLC, All Rights Reserved.www.thefooddoc.comThe Food Doc Journal
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Horizon Organic Products Are Gluten Free According to the Company But Inqui
2007-12-31 22:10:00
Below is an email response to an inquiry my wife made to Horizon Organic about the presence of any gluten in their products. Since she has severe Celiac disease associated with the skin problem Dermatitis Herpetiformis she is extremely sensitive to even minute amounts of gluten that may be hidden in foods or be encountered as the result of cross contamination. The email response illustrates a couple of important problems or challenges those of us trying to follow a gluten free diet encounter. First, gluten like grain proteins are found in barley and rye, not just wheat. Wheat is required to be disclosed on foods but barley, rye and gluten are not. Second, there is not yet a U.S. recognized and accepted definition of "gluten-free". The FDA is working on this issue but there is a political battle ongoing about what will be accepted as a "gluten-free" standard as some in the food industry are advocating an "acceptable level" of gluten set an certain parts per million allowed. Unfortuna...
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Your brain on gluten: Should you lay off the gluten before it's too late?
2007-12-31 20:25:00
There is reasonable evidence of neurological problems in Celiac disease even those well treated on a gluten-free diet should undergo periodic neurological screening. Peripheral neuropathy is found in almost half of people with celiac disease. Previously, neurological complications in Celiac disease were reported to be as high as 36% or more than a third. Some unexplained neurological problems are present but not recognized by the patient or their doctor in many patients and some have several problems. Unfortunately, since brain imaging is not routinely done or recommended in those who are newly diagnosed with Celiac disease we don’t really know how high these numbers may be really be. More staggering is the fact that we are still learning about people who fail to meet diagnostic criteria for Celiac disease but are being found to have gluten related neurological problems that respond to a gluten-free diet.The symptoms of neuropathy are paresthesia (numbness) or dysthesia (burning,...
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Mastocytic Enterocolitis Associated Food Intolerance Missed Due to Lack of
2007-12-29 03:30:00
Increased mast cells have been reported in association with eosinophils in the gut in patients with celiac disease and inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease condition. Mastocytic enterocolitis (entero=small bowel, colitis- colon + -itis= inflammation) is a newly recognized disorder defined specifically by the microscopic presence of increased mast cells (>20 mast cells/high power field) in the gut, typically associated with abdominal pain and diarrhea diagnosed as IBS-D.Mast cells are a type of white blood cell important in immune defense. These “covert” cells are hard to see in the lining of the gut without special stains. Therefore, they have been not recognized as being increased in the gut until recently when this association was found with IBS. Mast cells have granules that contain chemical mediators such as histamine. These mediators are released resulting in pain due to irritation of nerves. Diarrhea is most commonly noted but impairmen...
More About: Food , Intolerance , Lack

Yeast Sugar Also Found in Cow’s Milk Linked to Crohn’s Disease
2007-12-28 19:04:00
A new report suggests that a sugar found in Cow’s milk, contributes to the development of Crohn’s disease. This sugar mannan is also produced by the dietary yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae or common Baker’s or Brewer’s yeast used to bake bread and brew beer. Mannan has been shown to make white blood cells lazy and allow overgrowth of the bacteria E. coli. Both Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast and E. coli bacteria are linked somehow to Crohn's disease based on the presence of antibodies in the blood to them found in most people with this chronic incurable bowel disorder.Interestingly, antibodies to the yeast abbreviated ASCA are found in many people with Celiac disease and in some people with IBS. I have several patients with ASCA antibodies who have Celiac disease, mastocytic enterocolitis, microscopic colitis, IBS and other undefined conditions that I believe are a form of a leaky gut disorder. Many of these people have evidence of multiple food intolerance and non-celiac g...
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The mouth as source of antibody tests and biopsy for diagnosis of celiac di
2007-11-04 17:00:00
The mouth may produce the specific diagnostic blood antibodies and manifest the characteristic microscopic changes of celiac disease according to a study published by researchers from Palermo, Italy. Both endomysial antibody (EMA) and tissue transglutaminase antibodies (TTG) were detectable in more than half of twenty eight adults and children with newly diagnosed celiac disease who agreed to participate in the study. The presence of and degree of lymphocyte infiltration in the mouth correlated well with the detection of antibodies from swab of the mouth. Further research into the feasibility of diagnosing celiac disease from sampling of the mouth without requiring a small intestine biopsy is indicated. Combined with genetic testing for presence of HLA DQ2 and/or DQ8, currently obtainable from a mouth swab, such testing could be highly accurate and non-invasive. It must be remembered that using EMA and TTG and presence of either DQ2 and/or DQ8 will select out those with celiac disea...
More About: Source , Celiac , Mouth , Tests , Diagnosis

Mast cells, leaky gut, gluten, and IBS linked?
2007-10-11 08:23:00
Digestive tract is the largest barrier to outside attack and only one cell thick.Our digestive tract is the largest defensive barrier to outside attack. It is vulnerable to stress, foreign food proteins and bad bacteria. The lining of the digestive tract is protected by a single layer of epithelial cells. In the small intestine these are called enterocytes and in the colon they are called colonocytes. The small intestine is long enough to wrap around your waist about eight times whereas your colon is about as long as you are tall.Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), the most common digestive disorder, may be an inflammatory disease of the bowel caused by stress and leaky gut.Irritable bowel syndrome is reported to be the most common gastrointestinal disorder. We need to start thinking of diarrhea predominant irritable bowel syndrome (D-IBS) as a disease caused by stress, food and or bad gut bacteria induced intestinal irritation resulting in leaky gut. In Gut, Guilarte et al. from Barcel...
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MRT food sensitivity and food intolerance testing helpful
2007-09-30 11:37:00
Certain foods, additives and chemicals are capable of triggering immune reactions that are not due to allergies. Chemicals mediators released by the immune system are capable of producing a variety body reactions resulting in symptoms. Avoiding foods that produce such reactions significantly improve symptoms resulting from eating those foods. Mediator release (MRT) testing measures the release of chemical mediators from white blood cells and platelets in response to specific foods, additives or chemicals. Such chemical reactions presumably indicate sensitivity to these foods or additives. Principles of mediator release testing (MRT):Mediator release testing (MRT, Signet Diagnostic Corporation, www.nowleap.com) is based on measuring the reaction in the blood resulting from a food or chemical to which you have become sensitive or intolerant. When exposed to a foods or chemical that you are sensitive to your cells release various chemical mediators. These mediators cause an alteration ...
More About: Food , Testing , Intolerance

Epidemic of illnesses related to food and the digestive tract prompts Food
2007-09-24 03:43:00
Are you dealing with frustration, anger or disbelief about delays in diagnosis or lack of belief of the role of food in illness or health?Daily I hear stories of frustration, anger, or disbelief about the lack of understanding or appreciation of the role of food and the gut in health. In the Celiac community and literature delays of diagnosis of Celiac disease in adults are known to average between eleven and thirteen years. Many children have diagnoses delayed for years and some are missed completely until after adolescence when additional growth is not possible or in early adulthood when inability to get pregnant or multiple miscarriages have already occurred. The epidemic of chronic illnesses linked to food and the gut remain unrecognized.Many other people suffer from chronic fatigue, gas and bloating, joint aches, mental fogginess or onset of irreversible autoimmune diseases. Many people just feel poorly and don’t know why. Some believe they found a link between food and their...
More About: Food , Related , Prompt , Epidemic , Illnesses

Free memberships to the Food Doc site
2007-09-13 08:50:00
The food doc website offers a lot of information, helpful links and a symptom survey to assess your symptoms. The member's only area has several sophisticated web applications to help people assess symptoms, track symptoms and keep a diet diary on-line that can be downloaded, emailed, printed or viewed by authorized health care members who can sign up for free. The members area will eventually be restricted to paid subscribers but currently membership is free though when registering you have two registration options that indicate fees are associated. The fees do not yet apply.The site is being re-worked by a new web team to make it more user friendly and intuitive. The original site development team failed to produce a very user friendly site and left me with limited ability to make modifications without incurring unreasonable fees. So, we appreciate everyone who is trying the members area out and providing us with feedback. We also anticipate the e-store credit card processing fun...
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Gluten free bread sticks as reviewed by a six year old boy
2007-09-03 19:44:00
When I asked my six-year old son to give me a review on Glutino brand gluten free pizza flavored breadsticks the other night at dinner he did more than that. He left me laughing and with a great quote for my blog. To quote a six year old “They taste great AND they’re good for wood pecking” As the photo depicts, he found they not only taste great but you can tap them on the dinner table to reproduce the sound of the wood pecker that periodically assaults the side of our home. Brea d sticks are one of those things you miss when you are following a gluten free diet. Glutino brand does make a decent tasting gluten free breadstick. However, they are a bit hard but when dipped in sauce or eaten with a salad they really give some satisfaction of a missing staple of our diet since going gluten free two years ago. Interestingly, if you look closely on the box however, the bread sticks are shown in front of a salad that contains CROUTONS! I believe I have ranted about the frustration of ...
More About: Free , Gluten Free , Year

Food safety: Wheat gluten and illness as a metaphor for the state of our fo
2007-09-03 08:53:00
Gluten sensitivity and celiac disease are part of a hidden epidemic. Most people are unfamiliar with the term gluten. This improved after the recent outbreak of cats and dogs dying in the U.S. from pet food made with wheat gluten from China contaminated by the chemical melamine. Gluten has been linked to various autoimmune conditions. Links to food or chemicals to fibromyalgia, autism spectrum disorder, chronic fatigue, IBS, multiple sclerosis, and headaches appear strong but difficult to prove.Is there a link between what we eat and the epidemic of unexplained illness? Is our food supply safe? Are organic foods just more expensive? Are we experiencing irrational fears about processed and non-organic foods that are less expensive and just as safe? Watch this chilling video about the future of food. There is a debate whether allergic or eosinophilic esophagitis is increasing or just being more commonly recognized. Autism appears to rising. One estimate is 1/166. Celiac disease is est...
More About: Safety , Food , Wheat , State , Food Safety

Gluten free and food allergy dining resources on sale
2007-08-28 09:30:00
Do you have food allergies or are you gluten sensitive and you need restaurant and international dining information? Then you need Let's Eat Out. This book is beautifully illustrated and practical. It is arguable the most comprehensive guidebook to eating out while managing the ten most common food allergies (corn, dairy, eggs, fish, peanuts, shellfish, soy and tree nuts) and Celiac disease/ gluten sensitivity. Packed with information, this guide is the definitive source for safe and enjoyable dining out for those with gluten sensitivity and food allergies, whatever the cuisine or country. One of the authors is a chef and the other has celiac disease. They both have years of experience in the food and restaurant industry. Included in this incredibly useful guide is information on specific cuisines, essential multilingual phrases for worldwide use, airline meal breakfast and snack suggestions, and worldwide ingredient and meal preparation guidelines. Buy it now! Use it in restaurant...
More About: Food , Resources , Free , Sale , Gluten Free

Gluten is toxic to the brain
2007-08-16 08:48:00
Gluten is toxic to the brain. There is ongoing accumulating evidence that gluten is harmful to the brain and nerves of the body even if a person does not have celiac disease. Those with celiac disease are typically affected much more severely. In this blog I have reviewed several scientific papers recently that document the adverse affects of gluten on the brain. I also reviewed research published in early 1900’s that proved the toxic effect of wheat on animals. Seizures in dogs and pasture bloat in cattle has been known about for years yet cereal grains have become an increasingly large part of the Western diet. During the same time obesity, autoimmune diseases and celiac disease are reaching epidemic proportions.New DVD reveals facts of gluten's adverse affects on the brain.Dr. Ron Hogan, editor of ScottFree, has a new DVD, Smarten up. It is a compilation of his presentations on the effects of gluten on the brain. The DVD is extremely detailed and informative. I must however wa...
More About: Brain , Toxic , The Brain

Pill camera to diagnose celiac disease gaining acceptance
2007-08-13 11:27:00
Technology for diagnosing digestive has progressed to the point that we now have a video camera pill (wireless video capsule endoscopy) that you can swallow. As the food doc and a gastroenterologist keenly interested in celiac disease and Crohn’s disease, I perform capsule endoscopy regularly on my patients and have now for several years. The pill camera is increasingly being used to evaluate celiac disease especially since it is covered by more insurance plans now for this indication. Rondonatti et al. report a multicenter study in the August 2007 issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology that confirms video capsule endoscopy has good sensitivity and excellent specificity for the detection of villous atrophy in patients with suspected celiac disease. Capsule endoscopy offers the ability to see the entire length of the small intestine, far beyond the reach of the standard endoscope. Unfortunately, though capsule endoscopy is ideal for evaluating celiac disease, until just ...
More About: Camera , Celiac , Disease , Gaining , Acceptance

Brain and nerve cell death in celiac disease from eating wheat gluten
2007-07-29 08:57:00
How Celiac disease and gluten ingestion results in neurological injury is not well understood. It is however now well recognized that celiac disease and gluten are related to a variety of brain and peripheral nerve problems. According to a new study, nerve cell death, known in medicine by the term apoptosis, occurs in celiac disease not just from the presence antibodies against nerve cells in the blood of people with celiac disease with neurologic problems but from other factors in the blood, especially gliadin and tissue transglutaminase antibodies, and in people without obvious neurological problems. The presence of antibodies to gliadin and tissue transglutaminase in the blood are associated with nerve cell death in the absence of anti-nerve antibodies. The complicated nature of the process that gluten ingestion and celiac disease results in neurological damage can be appreciated by the reading the study by Cervio et al. from the University of Bologna, Italy, published in the Jul...
More About: Cell , Wheat , Death , Disease

Gluten sensitivity confirmed by genetics and blood tests in irritable bowel
2007-07-19 09:42:00
Gluten sensitivity is very common, much more common than celiac disease. However, both celiac disease and gluten sensitivity are often missed, ignored or misdiagnosed. It is widely accepted celiac disease affects approximately 1% of people worldwide. It is commonly accepted that between 3-4% of people previously diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have undiagnosed celiac disease. Dr’s. Rodney Ford, Ken Fine and I believe that many more than this are gluten sensitive. We believe that the presence of an elevated serum gliadin antibody is indicative of gluten sensitivity in most people. We concede that such individuals often do not have “true celiac disease” as it is now strictly defined by presence of HLA DQ2 or DQ8, a positive IgA endomysial antibody test or tissue transglutaminase IgA antibody with characteristic small bowel biopsy. However, our experience is that such individuals commonly present with symptoms identical to those with celiac disease and these sym...
More About: Blood , Tests , Genetics

Acid reflux or allergic esophagus? Is expecting doctors to routinely biopsy
2007-07-17 05:13:00
Heartburn is the cardinal symptom of acid reflux . This may result in damage to the esophagus causing difficulty swallowing. However, so can allergic esophagus also known as eosinophilic esophagitis. Recent studies confirm both may be present though allergic esophagus may be missed. This is because of the unawareness of this fact by some gastroenterologists and the common practice to presume acid reflux is the cause. If acid reflux is presumed and the visual and historical clues of acid reflux missed then a biopsy of the esophagus that confirms the characteristic finding microscopically of an abnormal number of the allergy cell, eosinophil, in the esophagus may not be done by the doctor. As a result the role of food allergy in the patient’s symptoms will be not be appreciated. Adding to the confusion is the knowledge of many pathologists and endoscopy doctors that eosinophils are commonly present in the lower esophagus when acid reflux injury has occurred. However, typically t...
More About: Doctors , Acid , Acid Reflux , Esophagus , Flux

Leaky gut and the innate immune system explained
2007-07-15 08:32:00
Our innate immune defense response is an automatic and a non-specific system. It consists of the barriers such as the skin and the intact intestinal wall of the digestive tract. The intact intestinal wall is similar to a fence or wall. It is patrolled by certain immune cells that are like security guards or rent-a-cops, guarding the body. This includes white blood cells circulating in the blood or present in the intestinal lining. Circulating white blood cells typically include cells known as neutrophils, eosinophils, and natural killer T lymphocytes. Lining the intestinal wall (skin and respiratory tract) are other white blood cells and immune cells such as basophils, dendritic cells, phagocytes and macrophages. In the intestine white blood cells present in small numbers may be mobilized to the area for specific threats. These include eosinophils, mast cells, lymphocytes and neutrophils. These latter cells are increased in such conditions as eosinophilic esophagitis, eosinophilic c...
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Celiac disease and gluten may be linked to allergic condition of esophagus,
2007-07-10 08:33:00
Eosinophilic esophagitis may be a manifestation of celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. Bua et al. from Italy report three patients aged 7, 17 and 19 years old, who were discovered to have eosinophilic esophagitis during evaluation for celiac disease. Biopsies of the lower esophagus obtained at the time of endoscopy performed to obtain duodenal biopsies to confirm celiac disease revealed eosinophilic esophagitis. All three had positive specific antibodies and small bowel biopsies diagnostic for celiac disease. However, they also had eosinophils greater than 20 per high power field found on esophageal biopsies though they were not symptomatic for eosinophilic esophagitis. I have also found eosinophilic esophagitis in patients with celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Like Bua, I believe there is a link to gluten and eosinophilic esophagitis. Two of the three patients in the Italian report failed to resolved their eosinophilic esophagitis on follow up biopsies. However,...
More About: Celiac , Disease , Condition , Celiac Disease , Ease