Anorexia nervosa of the restrictive type and celiac disease in adolescence

• Main Authors: Nacinovich R, Tremolizzo L, Corbetta F, Conti E, Neri F, Bomba M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2017-05-01
• Series: Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
• Subjects: Anorexia Nervosa; Celiac Disease; adolescence; Celiac Disease antibody; gluten
• Online Access: https://www.dovepress.com/anorexia-nervosa-of-the-restrictive-type-and-celiac-disease-in-adolesc-peer-reviewed-article-NDT

Renata Nacinovich,1 Lucio Tremolizzo,2 Fabiola Corbetta,1 Elisa Conti,2 Francesca Neri,1 Monica Bomba1 1Child and Adolescent Mental Health Department, 2Neurology Unit and Lab of Neurobiology, San Gerardo Hospital, School of Medicine and Surgery and Milan Center for Neuroscience (Neuro-MI), University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy Background: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is usually present in adolescence with symptoms partially overlapping celiac disease (CD), but the relationship between these two conditions has received little attention in the literature. The aim of this work was to explore this relationship, considering if CD could be associated with specific baseline AN-related clinical features. Methods: In this retrospective study, 82 adolescent female out- and inpatients with AN of the restrictive type (ANr), according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition criteria, were recruited. CD diagnosis and related serology were recorded, including tissue transglutaminase type-2 antibodies, endomysial antibodies, and antibodies against deamidated forms of gliadin peptides. Eating disorder inventory-3, Children’s Depression Inventory, body mass index, age, and disease duration data recorded at the time of blood withdrawal were also obtained from each patient. Results: Five (6.1%) subjects presented a CD disorder associated with AN: none of the collected psychometric measures was significantly correlated with any CD-related parameter or characterized as a specific subgroup. Conclusion: CD diagnosis or serology does not relate to ANr clinical or demographic characteristics. However, a slight increase in prevalence with respect to the general population might be hypothesized and possibly elucidated by further studies with an appropriate design. Keywords: anorexia nervosa, celiac disease, adolescence, celiac disease antibody, gluten