Study of effect of gluten-free diet on vitamin D levels and bone mineral density in celiac disease patients

OBJECTIVE: Celiac disease (CD) is a multifactorial immune-mediated enteropathy caused by a response to ingested gluten. The current available treatment for CD is lifelong gluten-free diet (GFD). This study was done to see the effect of GFD on Vitamin D levels and bone mass density in celiac patients. METHODS: A prospective interventional study on newly diagnosed celiac patients was conducted in the Pediatrics department of a tertiary care teaching institute in 2 stages viz. on presentation and after 6 months of GFD. Anthropometric measurements, biochemical investigations, Vitamin D levels, and DEXA scan was done at recruitment and after 6 months of GFD and was analyzed. RESULTS: In newly diagnosed 60 pediatric celiac patients, positive effect of GFD on anthropometry, hemoglobin, Vitamin D levels, DEXA scan parameters was observed. Significant difference was found in Vitamin D levels which increased from baseline 14.85 ± 5.39 to 18.22 ± 5.67 ng/ml after 6 months of GFD (P < 0.05). Significant difference was found in BMD (mean Z-score) which increased from -0.941 ± 0.738 to -0.640 ± 0.60 after 6 months of GFD (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our study concluded that there is significant increase in vitamin D levels as well as Z-score, bone mass density (BMD) and bone Mass Content (BMC) after 6 months of GFD.