Is serum citrulline measurement clinically useful in coeliac disease?
Abstract Citrulline (CIT), a non-protein amino acid in circulating blood, is almost exclusively contained in the enterocytes of small
bowel mucosa and may represent a reliable marker of functioning enterocyte mass. The aim of this study was to evaluate the
clinical utility of measuring serum citrulline levels in a group of patients affected by coeliac disease (CD). Fifty healthy
volunteers, 21 patients with untreated coeliac disease and 6 patients with refractory coeliac disease took part in the study.
Serum citrulline levels and duodenal lesions were evaluated at the time of diagnosis, and after at least 24 months of gluten-free
diet. Serum citrulline concentrations were determined by ion exchange chromatography. In comparison to healthy volunteers,
serum citrulline concentrations were significantly lower in untreated and refractory coeliac disease patients. No significant
difference was found between untreated and refractory coeliac disease patients and between patients with different patterns
of clinical presentation or various degrees of duodenal lesions. After a gluten-free diet, the mean of serum citrulline concentration
was increased in all but one patient. Although, as expected, serum citrulline levels turned out to be low in coeliac disease,
the clinical utility of their measurement is, at least, questionable in this condition.
Content Type Journal ArticleCategory EM - OriginalDOI 10.1007/s11739-008-0155-xAuthors
Emanuela Miceli, Università di Pavia First Department of Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Piazzale C. Golgi 19 27100 Pavia ItalyNicoletta Poggi, University of Pavia Department of Clinical Chemistry, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Pavia ItalyAntonio Missanelli, Università di Pavia First Department of Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Piazzale C. Golgi 19 27100 Pavia ItalyPaola Bianchi, Università di Pavia First Department of Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Piazzale C. Golgi 19 27100 Pavia ItalyRemigio Moratti, University of Pavia Department of Clinical Chemistry, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Pavia ItalyGino Roberto Corazza, Università di Pavia First Department of Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Piazzale C. Golgi 19 27100 Pavia Italy
Journal Internal and Emergency MedicineOnline ISSN 1970-9366Print ISSN 1828-0447 (Source: Internal and Emergency Medicine)
http://www.springerlink.com/content/y3l577614wx10334/
