Suggestions that gluten sensitivity is not a common feature of unclassified neurological disorders

Background: Suggestions have been provided that serological markers of cryptic gluten sensitivity may play a role in the pathogenesis of neurological disorders of unknown aetiology. Antigliadin antibodies (AGA) have been detected in up to 50% of these patients from North European settings (1). Whether AGA represent subclinical markers of genetic susceptibility in these patients is not established. Aim. To investigate the prevalence of two well established serological markers of gluten sensitivity AGA and antiendomysium antibodies (EMA) in patients with neurological disorders from a well defined Mediterranean area. Methods: Forty-four consecutive patients with neurological disorders were enrolled. Patients were divided in two groups according to the type of neurological diagnosis (group A: 20 patients with neurological disorders of unknown cause including ataxia and non-specific peripheral neuropathy; group B: 24 patients with specific neurological diagnoses including multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, epilepsy). AGA IgG and IgA (AGA-G and AGA-A) were assayed by a commercial ELISA test (alpha-Gliatest, Eurospital, Italy). EMA were tested by immunofluorescence using a commercially available kit (Eurospital, Italy). Results: No patient in group A was positive for both AGA or EMA.