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Nutritional Deficiency and Celiac Disease

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutritional Immunology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 October 2025 | Viewed by 667

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Gastroenterology Unit, Brotzu Hospital, Piazza Ricchi 1, 09121 Cagliari, Italy
Interests: celiac disease and alimentary intolerances; irritable bowel syndrome; chronic constipation; gut motor disorders; gastric emptying and functional dyspepsia
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune-related disease causing inflammation in the small bowel triggered by the ingestion of gluten in the diet. The only effective and safe treatment of celiac disease (CD) is a lifelong, strict exclusion of gluten—the so-called gluten-free diet (GFD). CD is linked to malabsorption, potentially leading to nutritional deficiencies. Individuals with CD are required to adhere to GFD, and most deficiencies can be restored with a GFD and/or nutritional supplementation. On the other hand, GFD itself can lead to nutritional deficiencies. Therapeutic protocols should include nutritional education to learn the importance of labels, the choice of foods, and the combination of macronutrients and micronutrients to avoid nutritional mistakes. New insights into the nutritional deficiencies of CD are an exciting scientific challenge for researchers both in pediatric and adult conditions.

Dr. Usai-Satta Paolo
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • celiac disease
  • gluten-related disorder
  • gluten-free diet
  • nutritional deficiency
  • nutritional protocols

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

15 pages, 365 KiB  
Article
Delayed Bone Age and Osteoprotegerin Levels in Pediatric Celiac Disease: A Three-Year Case–Control Study
by Ruzha Pancheva, Yoana Dyankova, Niya Rasheva, Krassimira Koleva, Violeta Iotova, Mariya Dzhogova, Marco Fiore and Miglena Georgieva
Nutrients 2025, 17(14), 2295; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17142295 - 11 Jul 2025
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Abstract
Introduction: Celiac disease (CD) impairs bone development in children through inflammation and nutrient malabsorption. Osteoprotegerin (OPG), a decoy receptor for RANKL, plays a role in bone remodeling and is increasingly recognized as a potential biomarker of bone metabolism and inflammation. However, its clinical [...] Read more.
Introduction: Celiac disease (CD) impairs bone development in children through inflammation and nutrient malabsorption. Osteoprotegerin (OPG), a decoy receptor for RANKL, plays a role in bone remodeling and is increasingly recognized as a potential biomarker of bone metabolism and inflammation. However, its clinical significance in pediatric CD remains unclear. Aim: To evaluate the relationship between OPG levels, growth parameters, and delayed bone age in children with CD, and to assess OPG’s potential as a biomarker of bone health and disease activity. Methods: This three-year case–control study included 146 children: 25 with newly diagnosed CD (Group A), 54 with established CD on a gluten-free diet (Group B), and 67 healthy controls (Group C). Participants underwent clinical, anthropometric, and laboratory assessments at baseline and after 6 months (Groups A and B). OPG and osteocalcin were measured, and bone age was assessed radiologically. Statistical analyses included ANOVA, Spearman’s correlations, and binomial logistic regression. Results: OPG levels were highest in newly diagnosed children (Group A), showing a non-significant decrease after gluten-free diet initiation. OPG correlated negatively with age and height in CD patients and controls, and positively with hemoglobin and iron in Group B. Logistic regression revealed no significant predictive value of OPG for delayed bone age, although a trend was observed in Group B (p = 0.091). Children in long-term remission exhibited bone maturation patterns similar to healthy peers. Conclusions: OPG levels reflect disease activity and growth delay in pediatric CD but lack predictive power for delayed bone age. While OPG may serve as a secondary marker of bone turnover and inflammatory status, it is not suitable as a standalone biomarker for skeletal maturation. These findings highlight the need for integrative biomarker panels to guide bone health monitoring in children with CD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Deficiency and Celiac Disease)
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