Oats in the diet of children with celiac disease: preliminary results of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled multicenter Italian study

• Published in: Nutrients 2013-11, Vol.5 (11), p.4653-4664
• Main Authors: Gatti, Simona, Caporelli, Nicole, Galeazzi, Tiziana, Francavilla, Ruggiero, Barbato, Maria, Roggero, Paola, Malamisura, Basilio, Iacono, Giuseppe, Budelli, Andrea, Gesuita, Rosaria, Catassi, Carlo, Lionetti, Elena
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Avena; Biopsy; biscuits; cakes; Celiac disease; Celiac Disease - complications; Celiac Disease - diet therapy; Celiac Disease - urine; Child; Child, Preschool; children; clinical trials; Diet; Diet, Gluten-Free; Double-Blind Method; Female; flour; Gastroenterology; Gastrointestinal Diseases - etiology; Gluten; gluten-free diet; gluten-free foods; Humans; Intestinal Mucosa - pathology; intestines; Italy; lactulose; Lactulose - urine; Male; mannitol; Mannitol - urine; Oats; pasta; patients; Pediatrics; Permeability; placebos; Seeds; Serology; Toxicity
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu5114653

A gluten-free diet (GFD) is currently the only available treatment for patients with celiac disease (CD). Several clinical trials have demonstrated that most celiac patients can tolerate a medium-high quantity of oats without any negative clinical effects; however, the inclusion of oats in GFD is still a matter of debate. In this study, Italian children with CD were enrolled in a 15-month, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter trial. Participants were randomized in two groups following either A-B treatment (6 months of diet "A", 3 months of standard GFD, 6 months of diet "B"), or B-A treatment (6 months of diet "B", 3 months of standard GFD, 6 months of diet "A"). A and B diets included gluten-free (GF) products (flour, pasta, biscuits, cakes and crisp toasts) with either purified oats or placebo. Clinical data (Gastrointestinal Symptoms Rate Scale [GSRS] score) and intestinal permeability tests (IPT), were measured through the study period. Although the study is still blinded, no significant differences were found in GSRS score or the urinary lactulose/mannitol (L/M) ratio between the two groups after 6 months of treatment. These preliminary results suggest that the addition of non-contaminated oats from selected varieties in the treatment of children with CD does not determine changes in intestinal permeability and gastrointestinal symptoms.