ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Gastroenterologica e Dietologica 2016 September;62(3):240-4

Copyright © 2016 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

A retrospective chart review evaluating the association of psychological disorders and vitamin D deficiency with celiac disease

Sharuq SARELA ¹, Diane V. THOMPSON ², Barbara NAGRANT ³, Payal THAKKAR ⁴, Kofi CLARKE ³ ✉

¹ Allegheny Health Network, Division of Internal Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; ² Allegheny Health Network, Cardiovascular Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; ³ Allegheny Health Network, Division of Gastroenterology, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; ⁴ Allegheny Health Network, Allegheny Singer Research Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

BACKGROUND: Data show that deficiencies in Vitamin D have been linked to certain psychological disorders and celiac disease. This study was designed to evaluate the association of psychological comorbidities and vitamin D deficiency with celiac disease. Additionally, any association of psychological comorbidities with gender and age at diagnosis with celiac disease was evaluated.
METHODS: This was a retrospective chart review of a cohort of patients with celiac disease presenting for clinical care at a tertiary care referral hospital. Patient age, age at diagnosis of celiac disease, gender, and 25-OH vitamin D levels were recorded. Self-reported history of any psychological and/or psychiatric disease were also recorded and analyzed.
RESULTS: Fifty-one patients with celiac disease were included. Forty-seven percent reported a history of a psychological and/or psychiatric disease of which anxiety, depression, and mixed anxiety-depressive disorder were the most common. Age at diagnosis of celiac disease was significantly lower, by ~10 years, in patients with a coexistent psychological comorbidity (P=0.008). Approximately 41% of patients reported vitamin D deficiency, but their mean age was not significantly different from patients without a deficiency.
CONCLUSIONS: Celiac disease appears to be diagnosed earlier in patients with associated psychological comorbidity. There was no increased association of vitamin D deficiency and psychological/psychiatric comorbidity in patients with celiac disease. Further research is needed to help us better understand this complex relationship.