TCRγδ+ Cells After Gluten-free Diet: A Biomarker for Coeliac Disease?
- Conditions
- Celiac Disease
- Interventions
- Diagnostic Test: Endoscopic procedure with duodenal biopsy
- Registration Number
- NCT05733663
- Lead Sponsor
- Hospital Mutua de Terrassa
- Brief Summary
Coeliac disease (CD) is a systemic process of autoimmune nature related to the existence of a permanent intolerance to gluten and manifests itself in genetically susceptible individuals. It has a global prevalence of 0.5-1.5%. The diagnosis of CD should be made in patients following a normal gluten-containing diet and is based on coeliac serology and histopathological changes of the small intestinal mucosa. However, nowadays many patients come to their doctor to rule out CD after having started a gluten-free diet (GFD) with improvement of symptoms. In this scenario, making the diagnosis of CD remains a challenge, as it must be considered that most CD-associated changes revert after gluten withdrawal.
An essential finding of CD is the increased number in total intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) in the duodenal mucosa, later characterized by an expansion of γδ+ and CD8+ IEL coupled to a decrease in CD3- IEL. An accurate quantification of the γδ+ subset became possible with the introduction of flow cytometry. In 2002, Spanish investigators proposed a diagnostic algorithm for paediatric CD that included the combined use of a high percentage of γδ+ and a low percentage of CD3- IEL, which was termed the coeliac lymphogram, which has been shown to be very accurate for the diagnosis of CD. Thus, the use of flow cytometric phenotyping of IEL may strengthen the diagnosis of CD when it is not straightforward.
This study will provide information about the potential usefulness of T-cell flow cytometric coeliac patterns as CD biomarkers to confirm the diagnosis of CD in patients who have already started a GFD. These results may help to make decisions in specific situations of routine clinical practice, avoiding bothersome gluten reintroduction and delays in diagnosis.
- Detailed Description
Hypothesis:
The increase in the TCRγδ+ subset appears to be permanent despite a GFD, which opens up the possibility of using it as a diagnostic tool in patients following a GFD, without the need to undergo gluten challenge. Several studies have focused on this aspect with promising results, but the studies have been performed on small samples of patients, and follow-up time after a GFD has not always been described or only changes in mean values before versus after the diet have been reported.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 116
Not provided
Not provided
Study & Design
- Study Type
- OBSERVATIONAL
- Study Design
- Not specified
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Adult patients diagnosed with coeliac disease Endoscopic procedure with duodenal biopsy A group of paediatric or adult patients diagnosed with CD and started on a strict GFD, with baseline and a follow-up intestinal biopsy to assess histological and intraepithelial lymphogram at least 1-year after starting the GFD, and with increased γδ+ T-cells at baseline.
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Percentage of long-term persistence of both the coeliac lymphogram (increase in TCRγδ+ and decrease in CD3- cells) and the isolated increase in TCRγδ+ cells measured by T-cell flow cytometry in CD patients after starting a GFD. 1 year Lymphocyte subpopulations (TCRγδ+ and CD3- cells) are measured by flow cytometry.
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Percentage of loss of the T-cell flow cytometric coeliac pattern (increase in TCRγδ+) according to follow-up time (measured by years). 1 year To assess the frequency of nonpersistence of the increased TCRγδ+ subset related to study variables, the chi-square test, Fisher exact test, and the Freeman-Halton extension of the Fisher exact probability test for a 2x3 or a 2x4 contingency table were used.
Percentage of loss of the T-cell flow cytometric coeliac pattern (increase in TCRγδ+) according to baseline histology (measured by Marsh Classification: 0, 1, 2 or 3) 1 year To assess the frequency of nonpersistence of the increased TCRγδ+ subset related to study variables, the chi-square test, Fisher exact test, and the Freeman-Halton extension of the Fisher exact probability test for a 2x3 or a 2x4 contingency table were used.
Percentage of loss of the T-cell flow cytometric coeliac pattern (increase in TCRγδ+) according to coeliac serology (measured by presence or absence of anti-transglutaminase antibodies). 1 year To assess the frequency of nonpersistence of the increased TCRγδ+ subset related to study variables, the chi-square test, Fisher exact test, and the Freeman-Halton extension of the Fisher exact probability test for a 2x3 or a 2x4 contingency table were used.
Percentage of loss of the T-cell flow cytometric coeliac pattern (increase in TCRγδ+) according to age group (measured by years). 1 year To assess the frequency of nonpersistence of the increased TCRγδ+ subset related to study variables, the chi-square test, Fisher exact test, and the Freeman-Halton extension of the Fisher exact probability test for a 2x3 or a 2x4 contingency table were used.
Percentage of loss of the T-cell flow cytometric coeliac pattern (increase in TCRγδ+) according to DQ-genotype (measured by presence or absence of HLA-DQ2.5). 1 year To assess the frequency of nonpersistence of the increased TCRγδ+ subset related to study variables, the chi-square test, Fisher exact test, and the Freeman-Halton extension of the Fisher exact probability test for a 2x3 or a 2x4 contingency table were used.
Percentage of loss of the T-cell flow cytometric coeliac pattern (increase in TCRγδ+) according to gender (classified according to male or female sex). 1 year To assess the frequency of nonpersistence of the increased TCRγδ+ subset related to study variables, the chi-square test, Fisher exact test, and the Freeman-Halton extension of the Fisher exact probability test for a 2x3 or a 2x4 contingency table were used.
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Hospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa
🇪🇸Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain