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Celiac.com 05/13/2023 - Norman Cousins, a noted littérateur, Editor of Saturday Review, and a member of the faculty of the University of California, Los Angeles suffered much pain from spondylitis (inflammation of the vertebrae). Concerned by this, he wondered if there might be a connection between his emotional state and his painful spondylitis. If so, he reasoned positive emotions might be helpful. Guided by this reasoning he concocted the following therapeutic scheme for himself: He ceased consuming anti-pain medicines; He rented a private room at a local hostelry; and He stocked that room with a large supply of amusing movies featuring the Marx Brothers plus numerous reels of Candid Camera. Additionally, he induced his attendants to read to him from humorous publications he had accumulated. Within some eight days after beginning this peculiar, self-imposed program, his pain began to subside, and clinically he improved rapidly and progressively. Indeed, in short order he felt well enough to resume his professional activity. Despite Cousins’ clinical improvement, the medical profession at large viewed his unusual therapy negatively. Fortunately, soon thereafter scientific data began to appear that supported his unique approach: Doctors and others, working at Loma Linda University, California, reported experimental evidence that laughter: Stimulates the immune system as evidenced by an increase in the number and activity of “Killer” and “T” cells, both of which act against invading organisms; Steps up the production of new immune cells as well as gamma interferon (an immune booster); and Lowers the level or cortisol, a hormone that suppresses the immune system. Stanford University reported that 20 seconds of robust laughter affects heart action to a degree equivalent to that resultant from three minutes of hard rowing. They also estimated that laughing heartily 100 times a day elicited the same physical benefits as may derive from riding a stationary bicycle for 15 minutes. More recently, a collaborative study presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Neurosciences disclosed that immediately after watching a chosen video, vigor increased 37%, depression and anger both dropped 98%, fatigue fell 87%, confusion reduced 75% and tension lessened 61%. The researchers concluded from these observations that the anticipation of a humorous event alone may have positive benefits. Appearing in the foregoing report titled "Did You Know?" was the comment: "It takes ten minutes of rowing to double your heart rate, but only ten seconds of belly laughter to attain similar ventilating and heart strengthening results!" It therefore would seem entirely reasonable to conclude that, particularly in our everyday stresses, laughter is good medicine! Reference: Practical Gastroenterology August 2002

Celiac.com 06/29/2012 - A group of researchers recently set out to study cases of positive tissue transglutaminase antibodies with negative endomysial antibodies to determine whether or not such cases amount to celiac disease. The team included Thomas Hornung; Pavel Gordins; Clare Parker; and Nicholas Thompson. They are variously affiliated with the departments of Gastroenterology, and Immunology at the Northern Deanery of Newcastle upon Tyne, and with the department of Gastroenterology at Freeman Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne in the UK. The most sensitive and specific blood tests for diagnosing celiac disease are those that detect immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies against human tissue transglutaminase (tTGA) enzyme, and those that measure aspects of connective tissue covering individual smooth muscle fibers, endomysial antibodies (EMA). Because of the high sensitivity (up to 98%) and high specificity (around 96%) reported for the tTGA assay, detection of tTGA is currently the primary blood test used in screening for celiac disease. The tTGA test also has a high negative predictive value approaching 100%, which makes it an excellent test for excluding celiac disease in both high and low risk groups. In contrast, positive predictive value of the tTGA test is rather poor with values between 28.6% and 60.2% being reported in several studies. EMA, on the other hand, has extremely high specificity values close to 100% and positive predictive value values approaching 80%.[5 10] However, compared with tTGA, EMA has lower sensitivity, usually under 90%. This being the case, the present standard celiac disease screening strategy is to first use tTGA, and then confirm positive results using EMA. However, doing it this way, doctors often end up with a group of patients who show divergent test results. For their study, the researchers wanted to gauge the percentage of patients with positive tTGA and negative EMA, but who were confirmed with celiac disease upon biopsy, and to identify factors in these patients that may help to increase diagnostic accuracy in such patients. The research team identified 125 consecutive patients with positive tTGA and negative EMA, who subsequently underwent endoscopy with at least two biopsies from the second part of the duodenum. The team charted any tTGA result over 15 U/ml as positive. They excluded any patients with known celiac disease at the time of testing. They then reviewed patient notes to assess indications for celiac disease serological screening, including the presence of iron deficiency anaemia, and symptoms such as diarrhea or weight loss, and family history of celiac disease. They defined diarrhea as a bowel frequency of more than three times a day. They then assessed histological evidence of celiac disease based on subsequent duodenal biopsies, plus Marsh grading. In cases where patient histology was unclear, they relied on the clinical assessment of a consulting gastroenterologist. Unclear histology included minimal/mild increase in intraepithelial lymphocytes of not more than 30 per 100 enterocytes and without villous atrophy, plus mild villous blunting with no increase in intraepithelial lymphocytes. They then categorized patients as either celiac disease negative, or celiac disease positive. Patients with no histological evidence of celiac disease on duodenal biopsies or equivocal histology plus overall clinical impression of celiac disease absence were categorized as celiac disease negative. Patients with histological evidence of celiac disease on duodenal biopsies or equivocal histology plus overall clinical impression of celiac disease presence were categorized as celiac disease positive. To measure IgA anti-tTGA antibody the team used a commercially available enzyme linked immunosorbent assay called Aeskulisa, manufactured by Aesku Diagnostics GmbH in Wendelsheim, Germany. To detect IgA anti-EMA with the standard immunofluorescent method, they used commercial slides of monkey oesophagus sections (Euroimmun, Euroimmun AG, Lübeck, Germany). They used conjugated sheep antihuman IgA as a secondary antibody, relying on a test manufactured by Instrumentation Laboratory UK Ltd., in Warrington, UK. Overall, the team categorized 113 patients (90.4%) as celiac disease negative. Of these, 102 patients had no histological features of celiac disease, while 11 patients had unclear histology plus an overall clinical impression of not having celiac disease. They categorized twelve patients (9.6%) as celiac disease positive. Of these, 10 patients had positive histology, and two patients had unclear histology plus an overall clinical impression of having celiac disease. Of those with positive histology, 17% were Marsh grade I, 8% were Marsh grade II, 33% were Marsh grade IIIa, 17% were Marsh grade IIIb and 25% were Marsh grade IIIc. Those with celiac disease were more likely to be older and to have a higher tTGA level. The groups showed no difference in any clinical parameter. Source: Frontline Gastroenterol. 2012;3(2):81-83.

Celiac.com 07/26/2010 - There is very little information currently available regarding the effects of follow up strategies for those celiac patients that follow a gluten-free diet. Therefore, it was the aim of of researchers in Italy to determine the t-transglutaminase antibodies (t-TG) in celiac disease patients while they were enrolled in a community based follow-up program over a 5-year period. Most patients that are diagnosed with celiac disease are told they need to adhere to a gluten-free diet for the remainder of their lives, and then they are usually left to figure it out on their own. However, it is recommended that celiac patients have regularly scheduled follow-ups after diagnosis for early detection of celiac related complications, and to reinforce the importance of adhering strictly to a gluten-free diet. In the year 2000, a community based “celiac disease-Watch” follow-up program was designed by the Local Health Authority of the Brescia Province in Northern Italy. The hope for the celiac disease-Watch program was to increase awareness of celiac disease and to standardize diagnostic criteria for celiac disease among health care professionals. Beginning in January 2003, all celiac patients that reside in the Province of Brescia have been enrolled in an ongoing celiac disease-Watch follow-up program. To encourage celiac patients to enroll in the follow-up program, the Italian government gives patients a bonus to subsidize their gluten-free diets, and all patients are required to contact the Local Health Authority every year to renew their bonuses. Furthermore, the celiac disease-Watch program requires all patients to have their serum tested once a year for detection of t-TG antibodies. Testing for the antibodies begins 12-16 months after a celiac diagnosis. The testing is free of charge to the patients and they can choose any laboratory they like. Results from the t-TG testing is reported to the Local Health Authority, and it is a requirement to continue to receive subsidization, although patients continue to receive subsidization regardless of their t-TG results. Those that test positive for t-TG antibodies during their annual follow up, are referred back to the clinic where they were initially diagnosed. At the clinic they receive a clinical evaluation, and dietary counseling. While those that have a clean bill of health are scheduled for follow up appointments every 3 years. Through this study, researchers found that as a result of the celiac disease-watch program, celiac patients with negative t-TG antibodies advanced from 83% to 93%. Respectively, using mathematical modelling to t-TG conversion rates observed in the study, the projected population of t-TG negative patients increased in population from 90% to 95% over the 5 year period. From this study, researchers were able to determine with confidence that without a follow-up strategy in place, patients with celiac disease will be inconsistent with adhering to a gluten-free diet. It is therefore strongly emphasized that regular serological and clinical follow-ups are a sustainable strategy to promote dedicated compliance to a gluten-free diet. Source: Digestive and Liver Disease doi:10.1016/j.dld.2010.05.009