Objective: To compare anti-transglutaminase and antigliadin antibodies between Parkinson’s disease patients and healthy controls. A detailed gastrointestinal symptom investigation was studied and compared between patient and control groups.

Background: Celiac disease (CD) is a common systemic disease related to a permanent intolerance to gluten and is often associated with neurological diseases. Many neurological diseases like ataxia, peripheral neuropathy, Huntington disease, multiple sclerosis, headache and cognitive deficiencies have been found to be associated with cealiac disease (1). Non cealiac gluten sensitivity has also been discussed in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases (2,3). Parkinson disease which is a neurodegenerative disorder has several common gastrointestinal symptoms like bloating, slow swallowing, delayed gastric emptying and constipation similar to cealiac disease (4). However gluten sensitivity in Parkinson disease patients compared with healthy control has not been studied before.

Method:
Serum antigliadin antibody (AGA) IgG, IgA and anti-transglutaminase (ATA)  antibody IgA, IgG were studied in 102 Parkinson disease patients and 92 healthy controls. Anti-gliadin and transglutaminase antibodies were investigated by ELISA method in blood samples taken from all participants. Gastrointestinal system symptoms have been investigated using Gastrointestinal system rating scale (GSRS) and Constipation scale (CS). Parkinson Disease patients has been evaluated with UPDRS scale and Non-motor symptom scale (NMSS). Water, coffee consumption and smoking were  also investigated and compared between the groups.

Results: The mean age of Parkinson Disease patients (50 male, 52 female) was 62,92±11,15, the mean age of control group (36 male, 55 female) was 56,82±9,18. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the presence of cealiac antibodies. Although the total GSRS scores were statistically similar between two groups  (p>0,05), hypoactive GSRS  and  Constipation scale scores were found to be significantly higher in the Parkinson group as expected (p<0.05).

Conclusion: There are studies pointing out a connection between PD and celiac disease, suggesting the possibility of nonceliac gluten intolerance and offering Parkinson’s Disease patients an elimination diet (5). However the results of our study did not support any relation between cealiac antibodies and Parkinson’s disease.

References: 1.Casella G, Bordo BM, Schalling R, Villanacci V, Salemme M, Di Bella C, Baldini V, Bassotti G. Neurological disorders and celiac disease. Minerva Gastroenterol Dietol. 2016 Jun;62(2):197-206 2.Mohan M, Okeoma CM, Sestak K. Dietary Gluten and Neurodegeneration: A Case for Preclinical Studies. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Jul 29;21(15):5407. 3.Hadjivassiliou M, Sanders DS, Grünewald RA, Woodroofe N, Boscolo S, Aeschlimann D. Gluten sensitivity: from gut to brain. Lancet Neurol. 2010 Mar;9(3):318-30. 4.Ford RP. The gluten syndrome: a neurological disease. Med Hypotheses. 2009 Sep;73(3):438-40. 5.Lister T. Nutrition and Lifestyle Interventions for Managing Parkinson’s Disease: A Narrative Review. J Mov Disord. 2020 May

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