Fibromyalgia-like Joint/Muscle Pain and Synovitis in Non-celiac Wheat Sensitivity Patients

Recently it has been reported that a consistent percentage of the general population consider themselves to be suffering from problems caused by wheat and/or gluten ingestion, even though they do not have CD or wheat allergy. This clinical condition has been named Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity' (NCGS). In a previous paper the investigators suggested the term 'Non-Celiac Wheat Sensitivity' (NCWS), since it is not known what component of wheat causes the symptoms in NCGS patients, and the investigators also showed that these patients had a high frequency of coexistent multiple food hypersensitivity. CD is an immunological disorder whose best-known manifestations are gastrointestinal symptoms. However, early joint manifestations are common and frequently overlooked features of the disease. Similarly, the clinical picture of NCWS is characterized by combined gastrointestinal (bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea and/or constipation, nausea, epigastric pain, gastroesophageal reflux, aphthous stomatitis) and extra-intestinal and/or systemic manifestations (headache, depression, anxiety, 'foggy mind,' tiredness, dermatitis or skin rash, fibromyalgia-like joint/muscle pain, leg or arm numbness, and anemia). Nowadays no data are available on the characteristic of 'rheumatological' symptoms of NCWS patients. Therefore, the aims of the present study are: 1) to investigate the prevalence of fibromyalgia-like joint/muscle pain in NCWS patient, 2) to search for possible ultrasonographical alterations (i.e. synovitis) of hands and feet joints of NCWS patients, and 3) to evaluate modification of fibromyalgia-like joint/muscle pain in NCWS patients after a gluten free diet period of almost 6 months.

Inclusion criteria

All the patients met the recently proposed criteria:

• negative serum anti-tissue transglutaminase and antiendomysium (EmA) immunoglobulin (Ig) A and IgG antibodies
• absence of intestinal villous atrophy
• IgE-mediated immunoallergic tests negative to wheat and cow's milk protein (skin prick tests and/or serum specific IgE detection).

Adjunctive criteria adopted in our patients were:

• resolution of the gastrointestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms on a standard elimination diet, without wheat, cow's milk, egg, tomato, chocolate, or other food(s) causing self-reported symptoms
• symptom reappearance on double-blind placebo-controlled (DBPC) wheat challenge, performed as described previously. DBPC cow's milk protein challenge will be also performed to diagnose cow's milk protein allergy.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria

will be:

• age <18 years
• positive EmA in the culture medium of the duodenal biopsies, even if the villi to crypts ratio in the duodenal mucosa was normal
• self-exclusion of wheat from the diet and refusal to reintroduce it before entering the study
• other organic gastrointestinal diseases
• previously diagnosed rheumatic diseases
• nervous system disease and/or major psychiatric disorder
• physical impairment limiting physical activity
• menopause; steroid and sex steroid therapy, hormone replacement therapy or ovariectomy.