Possible gluten sensitivity in multiple system atrophy

Abstract

Celiac disease (CD) is an intestinal syndrome characterized by immunologic intolerance to dietary gluten leading to mucosal atrophy and malabsorption. Neurologic complications occur in 8 to 10% of patients with the disease.1 Neurologic impairment can be the only manifestation of gluten sensitivity. Gluten sensitivity is indicated by increased levels of circulating antibodies to gliadin.2 Most patients with gluten sensitivity carry a particular HLA variant, DQ2, or in a few cases HLA DQ8.3 A high frequency of gluten sensitivity in the absence of signs and symptoms of classic CD has been found in patients with certain neurologic syndromes of unknown etiology, including cerebellar ataxia.4 Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a sporadic, adult-onset neurodegenerative disease of unknown etiology. We studied the occurrence of gluten sensitivity in a population of MSA patients versus patients affected by idiopathic PD. We …