A case–control study published in Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences (March 15, 2017; Volume 5, Issue 1, Pages 58–63) examined a possible association between gluten sensitivity and congenital heart disease (CHD). The researchers evaluated age-related serum levels of antigliadin antibodies in malnourished Egyptian infants with CHD who also had gastrointestinal symptoms.
The study included 60 infants with congenital heart disease, divided equally into cyanotic and acyanotic groups (30 infants in each). These infants were compared with a control group of healthy infants matched for age, sex, and social class. Serum antigliadin antibody levels were measured using ELISA testing.
Compared with controls, infants with CHD had significantly higher serum levels of antigliadin antibodies. Higher antibody levels were also strongly associated with earlier onset of gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, and abdominal distension. Among malnourished infants with CHD, antigliadin antibody levels predicted gastrointestinal symptom onset with a reported accuracy of 95%.
The authors concluded that “Serum IgA, IgM, and IgG class antibodies to gliadin play a significant role in the pathogenesis of malnutrition in infants with congenital heart disease,” and noted the importance of timing when introducing gluten-containing foods in early infancy.
