Probiotic supplement and gluten withdrawal in gluten allergy Patients may lead to gluten tolerance: first case report

Abstract

Probiotic species such as lactobacillus and bifidobacteria are known to have a major role in gluten digestion and regulation of proper functioning of gastrointestinal system however these are found to be missing in gluten allergy patients. So, here in this case we aimed to find the effect of probiotic supplementation along with gluten free diet in celiac disease patient. A case of an 8-year-old female child admitted to civil hospital, Faridkot with chief complaints of vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, retarded growth, and malnutrition was studied. When she first visited the hospital, based on her symptoms, she was advised celiac disease workup and was found to be highly tTG IgA positive (10.62). The subject was shifted to a strict gluten free diet along with probiotic supplementation. The subject was regularly followed up for the period of four and half years in order to find improvement in her symptoms. After 4 years, gluten diet was gradually reintroduced in a phased manner; the patient remained well even on full gluten diet. This may be due to probiotic supplementation to the subject along with gluten free diet. Present case report describes the spontaneous recovery of celiac disease patient after strict adherence to gluten free diet and probiotic supplementation for a specified period. It is suggested that there should be a proper monitoring and detailed evaluation of clinical and histological markers of recovery in a patient after strict adherence to gluten free diet and probiotic supplementation in order to evaluate the possible role of probiotic supplements in the management of CD.