Fibromyalgia-like Joint/Muscle Pain and Synovitis in Non-celiac Wheat Sensitivity Patients

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

150 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2018-03-01

Study Completion Date

2020-03-01

Brief Summary

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Recently it has been reported that a consistent percentage of the general population consider themselves to be suffering from problems caused by wheat and/or gluten ingestion, even though they do not have CD or wheat allergy. This clinical condition has been named Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity' (NCGS). In a previous paper the investigators suggested the term 'Non-Celiac Wheat Sensitivity' (NCWS), since it is not known what component of wheat causes the symptoms in NCGS patients, and the investigators also showed that these patients had a high frequency of coexistent multiple food hypersensitivity. The clinical picture of NCWS is characterized by combined gastrointestinal (bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea and/or constipation, nausea, epigastric pain, gastroesophageal reflux, aphthous stomatitis) and extra-intestinal and/or systemic manifestations (headache, depression, anxiety, 'foggy mind,' tiredness, dermatitis or skin rash, fibromyalgia-like joint/muscle pain, leg or arm numbness, and anemia). Nowadays no data are available on the characteristic of 'rheumatologic' symptoms of NCWS patients. Therefore, the aims of the present study are: 1) to investigate the prevalence of fibromyalgia-like joint/muscle pain in NCWS patient, 2) to search for possible ultrasonographic alterations (i.e. synovitis) of hands and feet joints of NCWS patients, and 3) to evaluate modification of fibromyalgia-like joint/muscle pain in NCWS patients after a gluten free diet period of almost 6 months.

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Detailed Description

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Recently it has been reported that a consistent percentage of the general population consider themselves to be suffering from problems caused by wheat and/or gluten ingestion, even though they do not have CD or wheat allergy. This clinical condition has been named Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity' (NCGS). In a previous paper the investigators suggested the term 'Non-Celiac Wheat Sensitivity' (NCWS), since it is not known what component of wheat causes the symptoms in NCGS patients, and the investigators also showed that these patients had a high frequency of coexistent multiple food hypersensitivity. CD is an immunological disorder whose best-known manifestations are gastrointestinal symptoms. However, early joint manifestations are common and frequently overlooked features of the disease. Similarly, the clinical picture of NCWS is characterized by combined gastrointestinal (bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea and/or constipation, nausea, epigastric pain, gastroesophageal reflux, aphthous stomatitis) and extra-intestinal and/or systemic manifestations (headache, depression, anxiety, 'foggy mind,' tiredness, dermatitis or skin rash, fibromyalgia-like joint/muscle pain, leg or arm numbness, and anemia). Nowadays no data are available on the characteristic of 'rheumatological' symptoms of NCWS patients. Therefore, the aims of the present study are: 1) to investigate the prevalence of fibromyalgia-like joint/muscle pain in NCWS patient, 2) to search for possible ultrasonographical alterations (i.e. synovitis) of hands and feet joints of NCWS patients, and 3) to evaluate modification of fibromyalgia-like joint/muscle pain in NCWS patients after a gluten free diet period of almost 6 months.

Conditions

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Non-celiac Wheat Sensitivity

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

OTHER

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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NCWS patients

Fifty consecutive adult patients with an irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)-like clinical presentation, according to Rome III criteria, and a definitive diagnosis of NCWS. The patients will be recruited between January 2017 and January 2018 at 2 centers: the Department of Internal Medicine at the University Hospital of Palermo, Italy, and the Department of Internal Medicine of the Hospital of Sciacca, Agrigento, Italy. All subjects will undergo clinical evaluation and hands and feet joints ultrasonography at the Rheumatology Unit of the University of Palermo, Italy.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Gluten free diet

Intervention Type OTHER

The investigators will evaluate the prevalence of fibromyalgia-like joint/muscle pain and the possible ultrasonographical alterations (i.e. synovitis) of hands and feet joints in NCWS patient at baseline (i.e. at the moment of diagnosis) and after a gluten free diet period of almost 6 months.

CD patients

Fifty sex- and age-matched subjects with CD, diagnosed according to standard criteria during the same study period and enrolled, at the same 2 centers, as first control group. All subjects will undergo clinical evaluation and hands and feet joints ultrasonography at the Rheumatology Unit of the University of Palermo, Italy.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

IBS patients

Fifty sex- and age-matched subjects with IBS unrelated to NCWS or other food 'intolerance', diagnosed according to standard criteria during the same study period and enrolled, at the same 2 centers, as second control group. All subjects will undergo clinical evaluation and hands and feet joints ultrasonography at the Rheumatology Unit of the University of Palermo.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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Gluten free diet

The investigators will evaluate the prevalence of fibromyalgia-like joint/muscle pain and the possible ultrasonographical alterations (i.e. synovitis) of hands and feet joints in NCWS patient at baseline (i.e. at the moment of diagnosis) and after a gluten free diet period of almost 6 months.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

All the patients met the recently proposed criteria:

* negative serum anti-tissue transglutaminase and antiendomysium (EmA) immunoglobulin (Ig) A and IgG antibodies
* absence of intestinal villous atrophy
* IgE-mediated immunoallergic tests negative to wheat and cow's milk protein (skin prick tests and/or serum specific IgE detection).

Adjunctive criteria adopted in our patients were:

* resolution of the gastrointestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms on a standard elimination diet, without wheat, cow's milk, egg, tomato, chocolate, or other food(s) causing self-reported symptoms
* symptom reappearance on double-blind placebo-controlled (DBPC) wheat challenge, performed as described previously. DBPC cow's milk protein challenge will be also performed to diagnose cow's milk protein allergy.

Exclusion Criteria

* age \<18 years
* positive EmA in the culture medium of the duodenal biopsies, even if the villi to crypts ratio in the duodenal mucosa was normal
* self-exclusion of wheat from the diet and refusal to reintroduce it before entering the study
* other organic gastrointestinal diseases
* previously diagnosed rheumatic diseases
* nervous system disease and/or major psychiatric disorder
* physical impairment limiting physical activity
* menopause; steroid and sex steroid therapy, hormone replacement therapy or ovariectomy.

Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No