Newsgroup: alt.support.celiac
Subject: Re: Celiac Cause Kidney Problems?
From: Ron Hoggan
Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2001 23:07:23 -0600

AppleHead asked:

> If a person was a celiac and was more or less exposed to gluten
> periodically, could this in some way contribute or cause any
> kidney problems?

Hi AppleHead,
Since the part of the function of the kidneys is to preserve proteins and peptides by filtering them from the blood, it makes sense that gliadin proteins leaked into the bloodstream could congregate at the kidneys, resulting in an immune response.

There quite a lot of relevant literature, but you might want to look at the following:

1. Gama R, Schweitzer FA. Renal calculus: a unique presentation of coeliac disease. BJU Int. 1999 Sep;84(4):528-9.
2. Ots M, Uibo O, Metskula K, Uibo R, Salupere V. IgA-antigliadin antibodies in patients with IgA nephropathy: the secondary phenomenon? Am J Nephrol. 1999;19(4):453-8.
3. Woodrow G, Innes A, Boyd SM, Burden RP. A case of IgA nephropathy with coeliac disease responding to a gluten-free diet.Nephrol Dial Transplant. 1993;8(12):1382-3.