Patients with adult
celiac disease excrete abnormal amounts of
tryptophan metabolites after loading with this
amino acid, suggesting
vitamin B6 deficienty in these patients, In fact, the excretion of
tryptophan metabolites returns to normal after administration of
vitamin B6. The
vitamin B6 nutriture was measured by means of determination of
pyridoxal phosphate and activity of pyridoxalkinase in serum and in duodenal mucosa of 14 children with acute
celiac disease and of six children with
celiac disease in clinical and biochemical remission. Ten children with normal duodenal mucosa were studied as controls. Children with
celiac disease had significantly decreased
pyridoxal phosphate in serum and in duodenal mucosa when compared both with children in remission and controls. Activity of pyridoxalkinase, however, was significantly increased in serum and in duodenal mucosa when compared with controls but not when compared with children in remission. These children had the same increase in pyridoxalkinase activity as children with acute
celiac disease. These data provide a strong evidence for the occurrence of
vitamin B6 deficienty in children with acute
celiac disease. The children with
celiac disease in remission still had an increased activity of pyridoxalkinase which seems to be a compensating mechanism in consequence of
vitamin B6 deficiency prior to the
gluten-free diet.