Upper Gastrointestinal Motor Abnormalities in Children with Active Celiac Disease

Abstract

Summary: Although from the clinical point of view a Gl motor disorder can be suspected in celiac disease, objective evidence for this is still lacking. We therefore conducted a study on children with active celiac disease to detect possible Gl motor abnormalities in this disease. Fourteen children (age range, 1–13 years) were studied; they underwent fasting and fed manometric recordings in the gastroduodenojejunal area. Four patients were re-studied after a 6-month gluten-free diet. Data were compared with those obtained in eight control children. As compared with controls, celiac disease patients showed a shorter duration of activity fronts (p < 0.01) and a significant (p < 0.01) reduction of the postprandial antral motility index; furthermore, > 90% of the patients displayed marked fasting and/or fed motor abnormalities, suggesting a neuropathic disorder. Interestingly, gut dysmotilities disappeared in the four subjects, reassessed after the gluten-free diet. It is concluded that celiac disease frequently affects the motor behavior of the gut and that its effects may be reversed by appropriate diet.