Wheat allergy diagnosis and treatment

Written By The HealthMeth Team - Updated On Saturday, March 13, 2021 6:00 PM

Wheat allergy

The wheat allergy disease from immune autoimmune disease , when dealing with an infected person foods containing gluten protein; An immune response occurs in the body that results in the destruction of the intestinal villus, which are responsible for the absorption of nutrients into the wall of the small intestine , which causes an imbalance in the absorption process of nutrients. Genetic infection, and the chance of infection increases among first-degree relatives of the victim, such as siblings and children. [1]


Diagnosis of wheat allergy

Lab blood tests

It can be said that conducting laboratory blood tests is the first step in diagnosing wheat allergy disease, including measuring the concentrations of immunoglobin A , which shows the extent of the body's response to the gluten protein, and it is necessary to refer to the need to follow a regular diet that contains gluten protein Before undergoing the examination, with the aim of obtaining results that more accurately reflect the patient's health status, and the negative result of blood tests does not necessarily rule out wheat allergy, as other laboratory tests must be performed to ensure the accuracy of the results. [2]


Endoscopy

Endoscopy of the small intestine is performed to detect any inflammation or damage in it as a result of wheat allergy, and often a biopsy is taken from the intestine during this procedure to confirm the correctness of the diagnosis, and this procedure is easy and safe, and takes about 15 minutes only. But to obtain accurate results, it is necessary to follow the regular diet containing gluten protein until the examination is carried out. [2]


Gluten Challenge Test

The Gluten-Challenge test is used if the patient follows a gluten-free diet before undergoing the diagnostic tests, as this diet affects the accuracy of the previous tests, and to complete this test the patient is required to eat three to ten grams of gluten daily ; The patient continues this way for a period of six to eight weeks, followed by a biopsy of the small intestine through an enteroscopy, and in the event that symptoms worsen and are not tolerated, an endoscopy is performed after only two weeks, and in addition to endoscopy, an examination is performed to detect antibodies two to four weeks after the end Gluten Challenge Test. [3]


Genetic testing

Genetic tests reveal the presence of one of the genes associated with wheat allergy disease, namely HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8, but the presence of any of them does not necessarily mean that a person has the disease, but rather that he has a genetic predisposition or susceptibility to infection, so in addition to the genetic predisposition, environmental factors are required. To stimulate the onset of injury and from it; Illness, undergoing surgery, pregnancy , and others, and these tests are usually used in the event that a family member suffers from wheat allergy. [2]


Treating wheat allergy disease

Follow a gluten-free diet

In fact, the symptoms of wheat allergy are controlled by following a gluten-free diet in which the sufferer avoids eating any food or drink that contains gluten protein, and the symptoms appearing on the patient decrease within a few days to several weeks after starting the gluten-free diet, and after a period From following this system, enteritis begins to heal and heal, and within a period ranging from several months to several years, it is possible to regenerate the intestinal villi so that they regain their ability to absorb nutrients naturally, and it is worth noting that the healing of the small intestine is faster in children compared to In adults. The following is an explanation of some types of foods containing gluten, which the patient is advised to avoid: [4] [5]

  • Wheat: Wheat is included in the preparation of many foods, including bread, pastries, pasta, breakfast cereals, and many sauces. [6]
  • Barley: Barley is used in the manufacture and preparation of food dyes, beer yeast, and malt syrup . [6]
  • Oats: In fact, oats are a gluten-free food that contains many beneficial nutrients that support a gluten-free diet, but mixing it with other gluten-containing plants as a result of their contiguous cultivation may cause concern about the emergence of symptoms of wheat allergy in affected people Out. [6]
  • Other foods and products: such as bulgur, foods containing modified starches , and preservatives, in addition to other products that may covertly contain gluten, including: lipstick, toothpaste and lotion, nutritional supplements, and some medications. [7]


Nutritional supplements

It is advisable to consult a nutritionist to guide the patient to the correct way to avoid gluten while maintaining a healthy diet, and in the event that he suffers from an acute shortage of some nutrients, it is necessary to use gluten-free nutritional supplements in order to raise the levels of calcium , folate , iron , zinc, and vitamin B12, vitamin D, and other important elements. In addition, tests are performed to check bone health, especially in the following cases: [5] [7]

  • Children or teenagers with severe food malabsorption.
  • Delay in diagnosing wheat allergy.
  • Symptoms of osteoporosis .
  • Not adhering to a gluten-free diet.


Pharmacological treatments

In fact, no drugs are used to treat wheat allergy in most cases, except in the case of dermatitis herpetiformis, which may affect some wheat allergy patients, in order to control the rash associated with it, and often medicine is used. Dapsone and Sulfapyridine, in addition to a gluten-free diet. [5]


References

  1. "WHAT IS CELIAC DISEASE?" , celiac.org , Retrieved 30/4/2018. Edited.
  2. ^ A b t " the AND CELIAC DISEASE TESTING DIAGNOSIS" , Www.beyondceliac.org , Retrieved 30/4/2018. Edited.
  3. "THE GLUTEN CHALLENGE" , www.beyondceliac.org , Retrieved 4/30/2018 . Edited.
  4. "Treatment for Celiac Disease" , www.niddk.nih.gov , Retrieved 2/5/2018. Edited.
  5. ^ A b T "CELIAC DISEASE the AND FOLLOW the UP TREATMENT It is a " , Celiac.org , Retrieved 4/5/2018. Edited.
  6. ^ A b v "WHAT IS GLUTEN?" , celiac.org , Retrieved 4/5/2018. Edited.
  7. ^ A b "Celiac DISEASE, Treatment" , Www.mayoclinic.org , Retrieved 2/5/2018. Edited.