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Addison Disease In Relation To Celiac Disease


Lisa

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Lisa Mentor

I have been researching because of continuing symptoms.

Addison's Disease is adrenal failure, yet the symptoms are very much like Celiac. Both are autoinmunes.

Do anyone have a history or information on Addison's.

Thanks


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Lisa Mentor

bump? any information out there?

georgie Enthusiast

I don't know a lot about Addisons but I have adrenal insufficency which some Drs say is an early stage of Addisons. AI is very common with low Thyroid - not sure about Celiac.

I just had the salt craving and low blood pressure, and pain a bit like Fibromylagia. I was tested for AI by a blood test and also saliva testing.

Addison

happygirl Collaborator

Lisa,

Dr. Green's book has a chapter on Celiac and related disorders. I believe Addison's is in there. I am already in bed with the computer, but I will check it out, hopefully tomorrow after work, and fill ya in on what it says :).

All I found on celiac.com was:

https://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodi...-40107470145.fc

https://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodi...-40107470145.fc

this one sort of references it: https://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodi...-40107470145.fc

Here is from pubmed:

Scand J Gastroenterol. 2006 Mar;41(3):302-5. Links

Prevalence of coeliac disease in Italian patients affected by Addison's disease.Biagi F, Campanella J, Soriani A, Vailati A, Corazza GR.

1st Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS Policlinico San MatteoUniversity of Pavia, Italy. f.biagi@smatteo.pv.it

OBJECTIVE: It is well known that coeliac disease is associated with autoimmune endocrine diseases, such as autoimmune thyroid disease and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Recently, coeliac disease has been shown in approximately 10% of patients with autoimmune Addison's disease. Addison's disease is the most common cause of primary adrenocortical insufficiency and it shares several clinical features with coeliac disease. Although hyperpigmentation and hypotension are the most specific signs, gastrointestinal symptoms are common and can be the first complaints of the patients. The aim of our study was to investigate the prevalence of coeliac disease in Italian patients with Addison's disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Seventeen consecutive patients affected by Addison's disease (14 F, mean age 53.9 years, range 26-79 years) were enrolled in the study. Eleven of them were affected by Addison's disease associated with autoimmune thyroid disease and/or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus; the other 6 patients were suffering from isolated Addison's disease. Diagnosis had been performed at the age of 40.5 years (range 23-55). Steroid treatment had already been started in 16 of the patients. Endomysial antibodies were tested in all of them and a duodenal biopsy was taken in those found to be positive for antiendomysial antibody (EMA). RESULTS: One out of 17 patients was found to be EMA positive. Duodenal biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of coeliac disease by showing subtotal villous atrophy. CONCLUSIONS: Although we studied only a small sample, our preliminary results confirmed that Addison's disease is associated with coeliac disease, being present in 5.9% of patients with Addison's disease. Since the symptoms can be similar and treatment of Addison's disease can mask coeliac disease, this association should always be actively investigated.

Eur J Endocrinol. 2006 Feb;154(2):275-9. Links

Celiac disease in North Italian patients with autoimmune Addison's disease.Betterle C, Lazzarotto F, Spadaccino AC, Basso D, Plebani M, Pedini B, Chiarelli S, Albergoni M.

Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Padua Medical School, Via Ospedale Civile 105, 35100 Padua, Italy. corrado.betterle@unipd.it

OBJECTIVE: Patients with autoimmune Addison's disease (AAD) are prone to develop other autoimmune manifestations. An increased prevalence of celiac disease (celiac disease) has recently been demonstrated in Northern European patients with AAD. IgA deficiency is the most frequent type of immunodeficiency among humans and is present in about one in every 600 individuals in the population. IgA deficiency is frequent in patients with other autoimmune diseases, but data concerning AAD are still unavailable. DESIGN: The aim was to define the prevalence of celiac disease and of IgA deficiency in a group of Italian patients with AAD. METHODS: One hundred and nine patients with AAD were enrolled and examined for tissue transglutaminase autoantibodies of the IgA class, circulating levels of IgA and adrenal cortex antibodies. RESULTS: Two (1.8%) of the patients were affected by already diagnosed celiac disease and were already on a gluten-free diet. Out of the remaining 107 patients, four (3.7%) were found to be positive for IgA antibodies to human tissue transglutaminase. Three of the four patients who were positive for tissue transglutaminase autoantibodies agreed to undergo endoscopy and duodenal biopsies and, in one, a latent form of celiac disease was identified. The clinical, silent or latent form of celiac disease was present in six out of 109 (5.4%). This prevalence was significantly higher (P = 0.0001) than that reported for the Northern Italian population which was equal to 0.063%. Specifically, celiac disease was present in 12.5% of the autoimmune polyglandular syndrome (APS) type 1 cases, in four out of 60 (6.7%) of the APS type 2 cases and in one out of 40 (2.5%) of the isolated AAD cases. IgA deficiency was present in two out of 109 patients (1.8%), all of whom had normal IgG anti-gliadin. Autoantibodies to the adrenal cortex were detected in 81 out of 109 patients (74.3%). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with AAD there is a high prevalence of both celiac disease and IgA deficiency. Consequently, it is important to screen for celiac disease with tissue transglutaminase autoantibodies of the IgA class and for IgA levels.

Scand J Gastroenterol. 2003 May;38(5):511-5. Links

High frequency of coeliac disease among patients with autoimmune adrenocortical failure.Myhre AG, Aarsetoy H, Undlien DE, Hovdenak N, Aksnes L, Husebye ES.

Division of Endocrinology, Dept. of Paediatrics, Institute of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. Anne.Myhre@med.uib.no

BACKGROUND: Coeliac disease (celiac disease) is an autoimmune disease of the small intestine caused by gluten ingestion in genetically predisposed subjects. It can occur isolated or in combination with other autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune Addison's disease is frequently associated with other organ-specific autoimmune diseases. We have investigated the prevalence of celiac disease among a large cohort of patients with autoimmune Addison's disease. METHODS: Seventy-six patients (44 women) with Addison's disease, 52% of whom had polyendocrine failure, were recruited from a registry of organ-specific autoimmune diseases in Norway. All sera were analysed for antibodies against gliadin (AGA), endomysium (EMA) and tissue transglutaminase (tTG). Patients with positive EMA and/or anti-tTG were offered endoscopy. The human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class II genotypes were determined. RESULTS: Five patients had antibodies against both endomysium and tissue transglutaminase. In these five patients, celiac disease was verified by biopsy. One patient had known celiac disease prior to the study. All six patients with celiac disease carried the celiac disease-associated HLA haplotype DR3-DQ2. The total prevalence of celiac disease was 7.9%. CONCLUSION: celiac disease is frequently associated with Addison's disease. The risk of developing celiac disease seems to be higher than can be explained by the common DR3-DQ2 association alone. It is often asymptomatic or associated with unspecific symptoms. Addison patients should be screened for the presence of celiac disease on a regular basis.

QJM. 2002 Feb;95(2):79-82. Links

Coeliac disease and autoimmune Addison's disease: a clinical pitfall.O'Leary C, Walsh CH, Wieneke P, O'Regan P, Buckley B, O'Halloran DJ, Ferriss JB, Quigley EM, Annis P, Shanahan F, Cronin CC.

Department of Medicine, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland.

BACKGROUND: Coeliac disease has an increased prevalence in a number of autoimmune endocrine conditions. An association between coeliac disease and Addison's disease has been proposed in isolated case reports, but has not been formally studied. AIM: To investigate the extent of this association. DESIGN: Prospective screening of patients with confirmed Addison's disease. METHODS: From central computerized records, we identified all living patients with a diagnosis of autoimmune Addison's disease in the past 30 years and presently attending our affiliated hospitals. After exclusions, 44 were invited to attend for screening. RESULTS: Of 41 patients screened, five (12.2%) had coeliac disease: Three were previously diagnosed coeliacs and this was confirmed on review, including examination of biopsy material. A further two had positive IgA-endomysial antibodies. Histological confirmation was obtained in both cases. Neither had laboratory or clinical evidence of malabsorption. DISCUSSION: In this series of patients with Addison's disease, a higher co-morbidity with coeliac disease was observed than in any previously studied endocrine condition. We recommend that coeliac serology (anti-endomysial and tissue transglutaminase antibody) testing be incorporated routinely into the autoimmune screen for other conditions in patients with Addison's disease.

Dig Dis Sci. 1999 Jul;44(7):1428-33. Links

Comment in:

Dig Dis Sci. 2000 Jul;45(7):1470-1.

Celiac disease and autoimmune endocrinologic disorders.Kaukinen K, Collin P, Mykkanen AH, Partanen J, Maki M, Salmi J.

Department of Internal Medicine, Tampere University Hospital, Finland.

Patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, autoimmune thyroid disease, Addison's disease, and alopecia areata are at increased risk of celiac disease. We investigated whether patients with more than one autoimmune endocrinologic disorder are even more susceptible to celiac disease or have celiac-type mucosal inflammation. All 62 patients found to have such multiple diseases in 1994-1996 were investigated. Small bowel biopsy was performed on all voluntary nonceliac subjects. The villous structure and density of intraepithelial lymphocytes were examined, and HLA-DQ alleles were determined. Seven (11%) patients had celiac disease: six cases were detected earlier and there was one new case; in addition, two had minor villous deterioration and five an increased density of mucosal intraepithelial gammadelta+ T-cells. HLA-DQ2 or DQ8 alleles were found in all subjects with mucosal changes. Patients with multiple autoimmune disorders clearly run an increased risk of developing celiac disease, and some of them have minor mucosal changes compatible with the early signs of the disease.

(there are more studies...these are just a few abstracts. go to pubmed.com and it will route you to its site, and search for celiac and addison, and you will see these and others)

Hope this helps,

Laura

Lisa Mentor

Thanks Laura, lots to digest....ohf, "patients, cure they selves"!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Laura for you time and effort. I will study more in the am.

happygirl Collaborator

you are more than welcome.

JFK had Addison's. Some have speculated that he also had Celiac based on his symptoms and the connection to Addison's. This is an article written by one of my favorite Celiac experts, Dr. Green: https://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodid=754

Felidae Enthusiast

I have a friend with Addison's disease and she doesn't have celiac.


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  • 1 month later...
jmj0803 Apprentice
I have been researching because of continuing symptoms.

Addison's Disease is adrenal failure, yet the symptoms are very much like Celiac. Both are autoinmunes.

Do anyone have a history or information on Addison's.

Thanks

Yes, the symptoms are very much like Celiac. My daughter went undiagnosed for years. We thought her Celiac was just not getting better. Last summer she got a really nice bronze tan. She is red headed and fair skinned. Her endo ran the blood test and low and behold she had Addison's.

Here are some links to websites that have info about addison's disease.

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link this is an Addison's Disease online support group.

Hope this helps!

  • 3 weeks later...
givingthanx Newbie

Hi - I have a linea nigra, that brown line that extends down from your belly button when you get pregnant.

Only problem is, I'm not pregnant (no chance whatsoever) and have never been pregnant. I read that this is a form of hyperpigmentation. I know that Addison's causes hyperpigmentation.

Anyone ever heard of Addison's causing linea nigra in particular?

This is so peculiar. It makes me feel real down. There's a lot of stuff I've had that I've never thought anything about until I got sick and started researching terms I didn't understand. All the cross referencing has keyed me into stuff I always just took for granted.

I also have - don't know if I'm saying this right - orthostatic something or other. Sometimes I get dizzy when I stand. It has caused some scary incidents in the shower in particular - I wobbled back and forth and then fell like a rigid ton of bricks. I was fortunate I didn't hit my head on the way down. Also, I seem to have low blood volume - when I give blood, it just barely trickles or spurts out, and they tell me I'm dehydrated. And sometimes my heart races. Is any of that normal?

Can those things be related to Addison's? What's going on?

WakeupNurse Newbie

I too have been wondering if I am also suffering from Addison's disease. I go back to my doctor tomorrow and am going to ask him to check my cortisol levels. My health severely diminished about 2 months ago and have had to go on medical leave due to D, weight loss, nausea, loss of appetite, dehydration etc. We immediately suspected Celiac because I had always had some GI issues as well as autoimmune issues. I have gone gluten and casein free even though my blood tests were negative. My other health problems and fibromyalgia-like symptoms seem to be improving but these new severe symptoms are not and no one seems to know what is going on. I don't in particular have hyperpigmentation either but I seem to have all of the other symptoms. I'll let you know how it goes, I'd be curious to know if you find out anything else.

Fiddle-Faddle Community Regular
I also have - don't know if I'm saying this right - orthostatic something or other. Sometimes I get dizzy when I stand.

Would this be orthostatic postural hypotension? That means that your blood pressure goes DOWN when you stand up, and not enough blood gets to your head (at least, that's how it was explained to me).

Could it also be somehow related to thyroid?

givingthanx Newbie
Would this be orthostatic postural hypotension? That means that your blood pressure goes DOWN when you stand up, and not enough blood gets to your head (at least, that's how it was explained to me).

Could it also be somehow related to thyroid?

Yeah, it's orthostatic hypotension. After reading your question as to whether or not it could be related to thyroid, I did an Internet search and found that it can.

Check out this web page:

Open Original Shared Link

I just wonder about my linea nigra - that brown line on my belly pregnant women are supposed to get - and I'm not pregnant. Makes me wonder. Hmmm.

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