Assessment of Markers of Gut Integrity and Inflammation in Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity After a Gluten Free-Diet

Markers for gut integrity and inflammation have received increasing interest as intestinal permeability and innate immune system activation are suggested as possible pathophysiological mechanisms in non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). We aimed to assess relevant biomarkers in NCGS by analyzing serum levels of gut integrity and permeability markers, pro-inflammatory cytokines and antigliadin IgG in patients with suspected NCGS on a gluten-free diet (GFD), and compare them to serum levels in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and healthy controls (HC). Serum samples collected from patients with suspected NCGS on a GFD (n=20, 14 women, 21-62 years), IBS (n=20, 16 women, 24-67 years) and HC (n=20, 14 women, 21-54 years) were analyzed. IBS severity scoring system (IBS-SSS) was applied to evaluate gastrointestinal symptoms. The IBS-SSS score was higher in subjects with suspected NCGS and IBS patients compared to HC (p