Introduction of Gluten and Celiac Disease Risk
Kathryn E. Wynne
Christopher J. Moran
Introduction of Gluten, HLA Status, and the Risk of Celiac Disease in Children
Lionetti E, Castellaneta S, Francavilla R, et al. N Engl J Med. 2014;371(14):1295–1303
Background
Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune enteritis caused by gluten ingestion. It affects up to 3.5% of those with GI symptoms or a positive family history.1 Genetic susceptibility plays a strong role as nearly all patients with CD carry a high-risk HLA allele (HLA-DQ2 or HLA-DQ8). Prior studies suggested a window of tolerance between 4 to 6 months of age, during which infants may achieve immune tolerance through early gluten introduction due to potential protective effects of breastfeeding.2,3 Some groups suggested gluten introduction during this period while others avoided making specific recommendations. This trial investigated the impact of timing of gluten introduction on CD development.