Iron, vitamins and minerals status in pediatric patients with celiac diseaseand non celiac gluten sensitivity prior to diagnosis and three months later

Abstract

AimPathologies associated with gluten intake are increasingly prevalent. Diagnosis of celiac disease (CD) or non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) is based on compatible clinical alterations and in case of CD on compatible serology or intestinal biopsy. The aim was to determine the values of iron, vitamins and minerals prior to diagnosis and to verify whether a gluten-free diet treatment can cause the normalization of these parameters both in patients diagnosed with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. MethodsRetrospective observational study from November 2016 to November 2021. 101 celiac patients and 26 with NCGS were included, all under 18 years of age. Levels of Fe, Na+ , K+ , Cl-, Ferritin, Ca2 + , P, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D and Transferrin were determined, following the quality standards of the Hospital Clínico San Carlos laboratory. Statistical software IBM SPSS Statistics v.26 was used. ResultsCalcium levels in celiac patients follow a positive trend after 3 months of gluten-free diet. Ferritin levels in patients with NCGS increased in a statistically significant way (p < 0.017). ConclusionCalcium in the CD group increases its values after the establishment of a gluten-free diet as treatment, as well as ferritin in patients with NCGS. No significant changes were found in the rest of the analyzed parameters. This could be due to the precocity of the diagnosis thanks to a rapid clinical suspicion that determines few analytical alterations.