The use of rebamipide in the treatment of celiac disease as a possible example of the rapid achievement of complete remission

Background. Celiac disease (gluten enteropathy) is an immune-dependent disease characterized by the development of an inflammatory process in the small intestinal mucosa (SIM) caused by the intake of cereals in hereditarily predisposed individuals. The main treatment for celiac disease patients is strict adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD) for life; patients with the severe malabsorption syndrome are prescribed glucocorticoid therapy - intravenous prednisolone, followed by a transition to its oral administration and a gradual withdrawal of the drug. In recent numerous studies, the gastroenteroprotective effect of the cytoprotector rebamipide, which promotes the healing of ulcerative lesions of the stomach and intestines, has been demonstrated. Description of the clinical case. The article presents a clinical observation of the rapid onset of clinical, histological and functional remission in a 29-year-old woman with latent celiac disease and severe malabsorption syndrome already after 2 months with strict adherence to GFD in combination with a course of prednisolone and rebamipide. Follow-up examination after 2 months revealed clinical remission, restoration of the normal structure of the SIM, and the normalization of the carbohydrase level. Conclusion. It can be assumed that such a rapid onset of complete remission in a patient with celiac disease occurred as a result of the addition of the gastroenteroprotector rebamipide to the GFD.

celiac disease, malabsorption syndrome, disaccharidase deficiency, gluten-free diet, rebamipide