Inflammatory Back Pain and Gluten Free Diet

NCT03017716 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: ACPM14
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 50
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 2

Brief Summary

Articular involvement is the most frequent extra-intestinal manifestation of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). IBD-related spondyloarthropathy is mainly characterised by axial involvement (including inflammatory back pain, isolated sacroiliitis and ankylosing spondylitis) but may also be associated with peripheral symptoms (i.e peripheral arthritis, dactylitis and enthesopathy, such as Achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, and chest wall pain). In particular, inflammatory back pain (IBP) is characterised by an insidious onset, improves after exercise but not with rest, and is associated with morning stiffness. Up to now, several criteria sets have been proposed to define IBP. Studies conducted in various populations have confirmed a high sensitivity and specificity for the Berlin criteria. Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune systemic disease having among its clinical manifestations frequent symptoms common to rheumatologic diseases. Recently, it has been reported that a consistent percentage of the general population consider themselves to be suffering from problems caused by wheat and/or gluten ingestion, even though they do not have CD or wheat allergy. This clinical condition has been named Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity' (NCGS) or Non-celic Wheat Sensitivity (NCWS). The clinical picture of NCWS is characterized by combined gastrointestinal and extra-intestinal or systemic manifestations. Many patients affected with CD and NCWS complain of IBP-like symptoms, which generally improve, together with the other clinical manifestations of the diseases, during a gluten-free diet (GFD). Therefore, the aims of the present study are to investigate 1) the effect of a GFD in IBP patients, randomly assigned to receive standard therapy for IBP or standard therapy for IBP plus GFD, for a period of at least one year, and 2) the prevalence of IBP in CD and in NCWS patients.

Conditions

Inflammatory Back Pain

Keywords

Inflammatory back pain; gluten-free diet; celiac disease; non-celiac wheat sensitivity

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Musculoskeletal (back pain) evaluation at baseline and after GFD

  Musculoskeletal (back pain) evaluation, from baseline at 12 months of GFD, according to the scores calculated on the basis of Visual Analogue Scales for Musculoskeletal (back pain), taking into account whether the patients adhered or not to the GFD.

  Change from baseline at 12 months

• Changes in cytokines production from peripheral blood mononuclear (PBMC) at baseline and after GFD

  Changes in cytokines production from peripheral blood mononuclear (PBMC), from baseline (i.e. at diagnosis) at 12 months of GFD, taking into account whether the patients adhered or not to the GFD.

  Change from baseline at 12 months

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Prevalence of IBP in CD and in NCWS patients.

  up to 12 months

Study Arms (2)

IBP patients on standard therapy

NO INTERVENTION

IBP patients on standard therapy.

IBP patients on standard therapy and GFD

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

IBP patients on standard therapy and GFD

Other: Gluten free diet

Interventions

Gluten free diet OTHER

The investigators will evaluate the effect of a gluten free diet (GFD) in IBP patients, randomly assigned to receive standard therapy for IBP or standard therapy for IBP plus GFD, for a period of at least one year.

IBP patients on standard therapy and GFD

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• To diagnose IBP the standard Berlin Criteria will be adopted. IBP is defined by at least 2 positive responses among four items:
• morning stiffness \>30 min of duration
• improvement in back pain with exercise but not with rest
• awakening because of back pain during the second half of the night only
• alternating buttock pain.
• To diagnose CD the standard criteria will be adopted. All the patients will meet the following criteria:
• positive serum anti-transglutaminase (anti-tTG) and anti-endomysium (EmA) immunoglobulin (Ig)A and IgG antibodies
• presence of intestinal villous atrophy.
• To diagnose NCWS the recently proposed criteria will be adopted. All the patients will meet the following criteria:
• negative serum anti-transglutaminase (anti-tTG) and anti-endomysium (EmA) immunoglobulin (Ig)A and IgG antibodies
• absence of intestinal villous atrophy
• negative IgE-mediated immune-allergy tests to wheat (skin prick tests and/or serum specific IgE detection)
• resolution of the IBS symptoms on standard elimination diet, excluding wheat, cow's milk, egg, tomato, chocolate, and other self-reported food(s) causing symptoms
• symptom reappearance on double-blind placebo-controlled (DBPC) wheat challenge. As the investigators previously described in other studies, DBPC cow's milk protein challenge and other "open" food challenges will be performed too.

You may not qualify if:

• positive EmA in the culture medium of the duodenal biopsies, also in the case of normal villi/crypts ratio in the duodenal mucosa
• other previously diagnosed gastrointestinal disorders
• other previously diagnosed rheumatic diseases
• nervous system disease and/or major psychiatric disorder
• physical impairment limiting physical activity.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Palermo: lead

Study Sites (2)

Department of Internal Medicine, Giovanni Paolo II Hospital of Sciacca

Sciacca, Agrigento, 92019, Italy

Location

Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Palermo

Palermo, Palermo, 90129, Italy

Location

Related Publications (12)

• Mansueto P, Seidita A, D'Alcamo A, Carroccio A. Role of FODMAPs in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Nutr Clin Pract. 2015 Oct;30(5):665-82. doi: 10.1177/0884533615569886. Epub 2015 Feb 18.

  PMID: 25694210 RESULT

• Carroccio A, D'Alcamo A, Mansueto P. Nonceliac wheat sensitivity in the context of multiple food hypersensitivity: new data from confocal endomicroscopy. Gastroenterology. 2015 Mar;148(3):666-7. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2014.11.047. Epub 2015 Jan 24. No abstract available.

  PMID: 25625764 RESULT

• Carroccio A, Soresi M, D'Alcamo A, Sciume C, Iacono G, Geraci G, Brusca I, Seidita A, Adragna F, Carta M, Mansueto P. Risk of low bone mineral density and low body mass index in patients with non-celiac wheat-sensitivity: a prospective observation study. BMC Med. 2014 Nov 28;12:230. doi: 10.1186/s12916-014-0230-2.

  PMID: 25430806 RESULT

• Mansueto P, Seidita A, D'Alcamo A, Carroccio A. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity: literature review. J Am Coll Nutr. 2014;33(1):39-54. doi: 10.1080/07315724.2014.869996.

  PMID: 24533607 RESULT

• Carroccio A, Rini G, Mansueto P. Non-celiac wheat sensitivity is a more appropriate label than non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Gastroenterology. 2014 Jan;146(1):320-1. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2013.08.061. Epub 2013 Nov 22. No abstract available.

  PMID: 24275240 RESULT

• Carroccio A, Mansueto P, D'Alcamo A, Iacono G. Non-celiac wheat sensitivity as an allergic condition: personal experience and narrative review. Am J Gastroenterol. 2013 Dec;108(12):1845-52; quiz 1853. doi: 10.1038/ajg.2013.353. Epub 2013 Nov 5.

  PMID: 24169272 RESULT

• Carroccio A, Mansueto P, Iacono G, Soresi M, D'Alcamo A, Cavataio F, Brusca I, Florena AM, Ambrosiano G, Seidita A, Pirrone G, Rini GB. Non-celiac wheat sensitivity diagnosed by double-blind placebo-controlled challenge: exploring a new clinical entity. Am J Gastroenterol. 2012 Dec;107(12):1898-906; quiz 1907. doi: 10.1038/ajg.2012.236. Epub 2012 Jul 24.

  PMID: 22825366 RESULT

• Carroccio A, Brusca I, Mansueto P, D'alcamo A, Barrale M, Soresi M, Seidita A, La Chiusa SM, Iacono G, Sprini D. A comparison between two different in vitro basophil activation tests for gluten- and cow's milk protein sensitivity in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)-like patients. Clin Chem Lab Med. 2013 Jun;51(6):1257-63. doi: 10.1515/cclm-2012-0609.

  PMID: 23183757 RESULT

• Dougados M, van der Linden S, Juhlin R, Huitfeldt B, Amor B, Calin A, Cats A, Dijkmans B, Olivieri I, Pasero G, et al. The European Spondylarthropathy Study Group preliminary criteria for the classification of spondylarthropathy. Arthritis Rheum. 1991 Oct;34(10):1218-27. doi: 10.1002/art.1780341003.

  PMID: 1930310 RESULT

• Calin A, Porta J, Fries JF, Schurman DJ. Clinical history as a screening test for ankylosing spondylitis. JAMA. 1977 Jun 13;237(24):2613-4.

  PMID: 140252 RESULT

• Rudwaleit M, Metter A, Listing J, Sieper J, Braun J. Inflammatory back pain in ankylosing spondylitis: a reassessment of the clinical history for application as classification and diagnostic criteria. Arthritis Rheum. 2006 Feb;54(2):569-78. doi: 10.1002/art.21619.

  PMID: 16447233 RESULT

• Sieper J, van der Heijde D, Landewe R, Brandt J, Burgos-Vagas R, Collantes-Estevez E, Dijkmans B, Dougados M, Khan MA, Leirisalo-Repo M, van der Linden S, Maksymowych WP, Mielants H, Olivieri I, Rudwaleit M. New criteria for inflammatory back pain in patients with chronic back pain: a real patient exercise by experts from the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS). Ann Rheum Dis. 2009 Jun;68(6):784-8. doi: 10.1136/ard.2008.101501. Epub 2009 Jan 15.

  PMID: 19147614 RESULT

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Celiac Disease

Interventions

Diet, Gluten-Free

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Malabsorption Syndromes; Intestinal Diseases; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Digestive System Diseases; Metabolic Diseases; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Diet Therapy; Nutrition Therapy; Therapeutics; Diet; Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Diet, Food, and Nutrition; Physiological Phenomena

Study Officials

• Antonio Carroccio, PhD

  University of Palermo

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Central Study Contacts

Antonio Carroccio, PhD

CONTACT

+390916552884; acarroccio@hotmail.com

Pasquale Mansueto, MD

CONTACT

+390916552884; pasquale.mansueto@unipa.it

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: MD

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 30, 2016
• First Posted: January 11, 2017
• Study Start (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2028
• Last Updated: January 9, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

IT (2)