Table 2

Small bowel findings before and after six months’ oat challenge in 10 patients with dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) on a gluten-free diet and in 28 dyspeptic control patients without gluten intolerance

Patients with DH on oats challange
BeforeAfter3-151 Controls
Villous height:crypt depth ratio3.0  (1.0)2.8  (0.8)3.8  (1.3)
Intraepithelial lymphocytes (cells/mm epithelium)
 CD3 positive37.6 (16.4)34.8 (17.5)25.6 (16.5)
 α/βTCR positive14.8 (5.0)15.1 (7.7)15.7 (11.8)
 γ/δTCR positive9.1 (4.8)3-150 6.0 (5.1)1.5 (1.6)
DR expression in crypts2/102/103/28

  • Results are expressed as mean (SD).

  • ↵3-150 Significant (p<0.001) difference compared with controls.

  • ↵3-151 Includes data from one patient after three months of oat challenge.