Pediatr Gastroenterol Hepatol Nutr.  2019 Jul;22(4):407-412. 10.5223/pghn.2019.22.4.407.

Coexistence of Excessive Weight Gain and Celiac Disease in Children: An Unusual Familial Condition

Affiliations
  • 1Pediatrics and Adolescentology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy. v.calcaterra@smatteo.pv.it
  • 2Pediatric Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
  • 3Mass General Hospital for Children, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.
  • 4Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.
  • 5Center for Celiac Research and Treatment, Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, United States of America Celiac Research Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.
  • 6Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics Service, Unit of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, ICS Maugeri IRCCS, Pavia, Italy.
  • 7Laboratory of Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.

Abstract

Excessive weight gain in children diagnosed with celiac disease (CD) is becoming more common. We describe 2 siblings (9-year and 6 months-old female and 6-year and 9 months-old male) with obesity showing attenuated gastrointestinal and atypical symptoms in which CD was diagnosed in the absence of a known family history of CD. After children's diagnosis, CD in their parents was also investigated. It was detected in their father affected by overweight. The presentation of patients with CD has changed. While patients with overweight and obesity commonly have symptoms such as abdominal pain, reflux, headache, and constipation due to lifestyle factors, CD should also be considered in patients with or without a family history of CD. Careful nutritional status assessment and follow-up monitoring after the diagnosis of CD are mandatory, especially in subjects who are already overweight at the presentation of this disease.

Keyword

Celiac disease; Child; Obesity; Familiarity; Overweight

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Pain
Celiac Disease*
Child*
Constipation
Diagnosis
Fathers
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Headache
Humans
Life Style
Nutritional Status
Obesity
Overweight
Parents
Recognition (Psychology)
Siblings
Weight Gain*

Reference

1. Lauret E, Rodrigo L. Celiac disease and autoimmune-associated conditions. BioMed Res Int. 2013; 2013:127589.
Article
2. Rubio-Tapia A, Hill ID, Kelly CP, Calderwood AH, Murray JA. American College of Gastroenterology. ACG clinical guidelines: diagnosis and management of celiac disease. Am J Gastroenterol. 2013; 108:656–676.
Article
3. Leffler DA, Green PH, Fasano A. Extraintestinal manifestations of coeliac disease. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2015; 12:561–571.
Article
4. Auricchio S, Mazzacca G, Tosi R, Visakorpi M, Maki M, Polanco I. Coeliac disease as a familial condition: identification of asymptomatic coeliac patients within family groups. Gastroenterol Int. 1988; 1:25–31.
5. Vazquez H, Cabanne A, Sugai E, Fiorini A, Pedreira S, Mauriño E, et al. Serological markers identify histologically latent coeliac disease among first-degree relatives. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 1996; 8:15–21.
Article
6. Bonamico M, Mariani P, Mazzilli MC, Triglione P, Lionetti P, Ferrante P, et al. Frequency and clinical pattern of celiac disease among siblings of celiac children. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 1996; 23:159–163.
Article
7. Aurangzeb B, Leach ST, Lemberg DA, Day AS. Nutritional status of children with coeliac disease. Acta Paediatr. 2010; 99:1020–1025.
Article
8. Venkatasubramani N, Telega G, Werlin SL. Obesity in pediatric celiac disease. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2010; 51:295–297.
Article
9. Balamtekin N, Uslu N, Baysoy G, Usta Y, Demir H, Saltik-Temizel IN, et al. The presentation of celiac disease in 220 Turkish children. Turk J Pediatr. 2010; 52:239–244.
10. Valletta E, Fornaro M, Cipolli M, Conte S, Bissolo F, Danchielli C. Celiac disease and obesity: need for nutritional follow-up after diagnosis. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2010; 64:1371–1372.
Article
11. Reilly NR, Aguilar K, Hassid BG, Cheng J, Defelice AR, Kazlow P, et al. Celiac disease in normal-weight and overweight children: clinical features and growth outcomes following a gluten-free diet. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2011; 53:528–531.
12. Norsa L, Shamir R, Zevit N, Verduci E, Hartman C, Ghisleni D, et al. Cardiovascular disease risk factor profiles in children with celiac disease on gluten-free diets. World J Gastroenterol. 2013; 19:5658–5664.
Article
13. Brambilla P, Picca M, Dilillo D, Meneghin F, Cravidi C, Tischer MC, et al. Changes of body mass index in celiac children on a gluten-free diet. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2013; 23:177–182.
Article
14. Diamanti A, Capriati T, Basso MS, Panetta F, Di Ciommo Laurora VM, Bellucci F, et al. Celiac disease and overweight in children: an update. Nutrients. 2014; 6:207–220.
Article
15. van der Pals M, Myléus A, Norström F, Hammarroth S, Högberg L, Rosén A, et al. Body mass index is not a reliable tool in predicting celiac disease in children. BMC Pediatr. 2014; 14:165.
Article
16. Gokce S, Arslantas E. Changing face and clinical features of celiac disease in children. Pediatr Int. 2015; 57:107–112.
Article
17. Cacciari E, Milani S, Balsamo A, Spada E, Bona G, Cavallo L, et al. Italian cross-sectional growth charts for height, weight and BMI (2 to 20 yr). J Endocrinol Invest. 2006; 29:581–593.
Article
18. Marshall WA, Tanner JM. Variations in pattern of pubertal changes in girls. Arch Dis Child. 1969; 44:291–303.
Article
19. Franzese A, Iannucci MP, Valerio G, Ciccimarra E, Spaziano M, Mandato C, et al. Atypical celiac disease presenting as obesity-related liver dysfunction. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2001; 33:329–332.
Article
20. Oso O, Fraser NC. A boy with coeliac disease and obesity. Acta Paediatr. 2006; 95:618–619.
Article
21. Arslan N, Esen I, Demircioglu F, Yilmaz S, Unuvar T, Bober E. The changing face of celiac disease: a girl with obesity and celiac disease. J Paediatr Child Health. 2009; 45:317–318.
22. Semeraro LA, Barwick KW, Gryboski JD. Obesity in celiac sprue. J Clin Gastroenterol. 1986; 8:177–180.
Article
23. Telega G, Bennet TR, Werlin S. Emerging new clinical patterns in the presentation of celiac disease. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2008; 162:164–168.
Article
Full Text Links
  • PGHN
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr