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Recurrent peripheral neuropathy in a girl with celiac disease
  1. AGATA POLIZZI,
  2. MARIA FINOCCHIARO,
  3. ENRICO PARANO,
  4. PIERO PAVONE
  1. Division of Paediatric Neurology, Department of Paediatrics, University of Catania
  2. Catania, Italy
  3. Department of Paediatrics, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
  4. Neurosciences Group, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Department of Clinical Neurology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
  1. Dr Agata Polizzi, Division of Paediatric Neurology, Department of Paediatrics, University of Catania, Viale A Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy email: rupo{at}ctonline.it
  1. SALVATORE MUSUMECI
  1. Division of Paediatric Neurology, Department of Paediatrics, University of Catania
  2. Catania, Italy
  3. Department of Paediatrics, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
  4. Neurosciences Group, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Department of Clinical Neurology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
  1. Dr Agata Polizzi, Division of Paediatric Neurology, Department of Paediatrics, University of Catania, Viale A Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy email: rupo{at}ctonline.it
  1. AGATA POLIZZI
  1. Division of Paediatric Neurology, Department of Paediatrics, University of Catania
  2. Catania, Italy
  3. Department of Paediatrics, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
  4. Neurosciences Group, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Department of Clinical Neurology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
  1. Dr Agata Polizzi, Division of Paediatric Neurology, Department of Paediatrics, University of Catania, Viale A Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy email: rupo{at}ctonline.it

https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.68.1.104

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    The involvement of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) in children with celiac disease is particularly rare. Furthermore, in both children and adults with celiac disease, neurological complications are chronic and progressive.1

    We report on a 12 year old girl affected by celiac disease, who on two separate occasions presented with an acute peripheral neurological syndrome after accidental reintroduction of gluten in her diet.

    This patient was born uneventfully to healthy non-consanguineous parents with no family history of neurological or metabolic diseases. At the age of 6 months she was diagnosed as having celiac disease according to the European Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition (ESPGAN) criteria. Since then she was on a strict gluten free diet and was asymptomatic until the age of 10 years when severe diarrhoea, vomiting, and abdominal pain manifested 6 days after the intake of corn flakes erroneously thought to be gluten free. No previous infections had been noticed. One week after the onset of these symptoms she experienced acute weakness and pins and needles sensation confined to her legs. At that time her parents stopped her intake of corn flakes on the suspicion that these were responsible for the symptoms. Despite this, symptoms worsened during the next 2 days, confining her to bed.

    At hospital admission, she was alert and mentally stable. Results of general physical examination were unremarkable. Neurological examination disclosed symmetric, predominantly distal, weakness of the legs; …

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