Gut microflora associated characteristics in children with celiac disease

<p>Aim: The over-arching aim of this thesis was to study some metabolic functions of the gut microflora in children with known or screening detected celiac disease (CD) and their first-degree relatives.</p><p>Materials: Study I. A number of 36 untreated CD children, 47 after at least 3 months on glutenfree diet (GFD) and 42 healthy controls (HC). Study II. A number of 76 first-degree relatives to CD children and 93 healthy controls (HC). Study III. A number of 17 screening detected CD children were included to be compared with the untreated children and controls from study I; with exchange of one child in the untreated group, due to low age. Study IV. A comparative study regarding correlation between iso-forms of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in humans as well as in animals.</p><p>Methods: Faecal short chain fatty acids were measured in all four studies. Additionally faecal tryptic activity (FTA) was measured in study II.</p><p>Major findings: All groups of CD children demonstrated a similar SCFAs profile, i.e. significantly more total SCFAs and acetic acid and a strong tendency to more iso-butyric and iso-valeric acids compared with HC. The first-degree relatives demonstrated another SCFAs profile, i.e. significantly less total SCFAs and acetic acid and significantly more FTA than HC.</p><p>Conclusions and future outlook Based upon the strong similarities between all groups of CD children we are allowing ourselves hypothesising that CD children have a celiacogenic flora compared with healthy controls. In a similar way it can be said that the first-degree relatives are harbouring a celiacprotective microflora. Our findings open up for challenging new diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic possibilities.</p><h3>List of scientific papers</h3><p>I. Tjellström B, Stenhammar L, Högberg L, Fälth-Magnusson K, Magnusson KE, Midtvedt T, Sundqvist T, Norin E (2005). "Gut microflora associated characteristics in children with celiac disease." Am J Gastroenterol 100(12): 2784-8 <br><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16393236">https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16393236</a><br><br></p><p>II. Tjellström B, Stenhammar L, Högberg L, Fälth-Magnusson K, Magnusson KE, Midtvedt T, Sundqvist T, Houlston R, Popat S, Norin E (2007). "Gut microflora associated characteristics in first-degree relatives of children with celiac disease." Scand J Gastroenterol 42(10): 1204-8 <br><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17852880">https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17852880</a><br><br></p><p>III. Tjellström B, Stenhammar L, Högberg L, Fälth-Magnusson K, Magnusson K-E, Midtvedt T, Sundqvist T, Norin E (2009). "Screening-detected and symptomatic untreated celiac children show similar gut microfloraassociated characteristics." (Manuscript)</p><p>IV. Cardona ME, Collinder E, Stern S, Tjellström B, Norin E, Midtvedt T (2005). "Correlation between faecal iso-butyric and iso-valeric acids in different species." Microbiol Ecol Health Dis 17: 177-82</p>