Age Of Gluten Introduction Does Not Increase Risk Of Celiac Disease

Previous studies have linked the age of gluten introduction to an increased risk of celiac disease in genetically predisposed children. Yet new findings published in the journal Pediatrics show that whenever wheat gluten is introduced, it shouldn't increase any risk.

For the study, researchers at Lund University in Sweden examined the correlation between the age of gluten introduction and the risk of CD in genetically predisposed children. Data was collected from 6,436 newborn infants who were screened for high-risk HLA-genotypes for CD. They were then followed-up in Finland, Germany, Sweden and the United States.

Findings revealed that Swedish children were introduced to gluten earlier than counterparts in Finland, Germany and the United States. Furthermore, 12 percent of the children developed tissue transglutaminase autoantibodies (tTGA) and 5 percent developed CD during a median follow-up of five years.

The risk for Swedish children of tTGA and CD was increased when compared to U.S. children, with hazard rations at 1.74 and 1.76, respectively. After adjustment for country, HLA, gender and family history of CD, gluten introduction before 17 weeks or later than 26 weeks was, however, not associated with increased risk for tTGA or CD, via Doctor's Lounge.

"Despite differences in timing of gluten introduction between participating countries, the time to first introduction to gluten-containing cereals was not found to be a risk factor for CDA or CD," the authors reported, via Medscape. "Instead, we found a significantly increased risk for CDA, but not for CD, among children being breastfed for >1 month after gluten introduction, in the overall analysis."

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