The proportion of clinically undetected celiac disease may be particularly high among 3-year-old children with HLA-DQB1*02 and DQB1*0302 in Sweden, where these 2 HLA-risk alleles frequently occur.
Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation localized to the small bowel, but less is known about systemic signs of inflammation. The aim was to measure cytokines of the T helper 1 (Th1) and T helper 2 (Th2) cell patterns in children with screening-detected coeliac disease before and after treatment with a gluten-free diet. Serum samples selected before and after the start of a gluten-free diet from 26 3-year-old children diagnosed with biopsy-proven coeliac disease and from 52 matched controls were assayed in an multiplex enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the 10 cytokines: interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-13 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Among Th1 cytokines, IFN-γ and IL-12p70 were elevated significantly in children with coeliac disease compared to controls (P < 0·001 and P = 0·001, respectively). Similar findings were demonstrated for the Th2 cytokines IL-5 (P < 0·001), IL-10 (P = 0·001) and IL-13 (P = 0·002). No difference in cytokine levels between the two groups was found for TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4 and IL-8. After gluten-free diet, levels of IL-5, IL-12 and IL-10 decreased significantly (P < 0·001, P = 0·002 and P = 0·007) and IFN-γ levels were reduced (P = 0·059). Young children with coeliac disease detected by screening demonstrate elevated levels of serum cytokines at time of diagnosis. A prolonged systemic inflammation may, in turn, contribute to long-term complications known to be associated with untreated coeliac disease.
Low SEP is associated with CD in boys but not in girls. Also, CD appears to be conditioned by geographical area of residence. While our study represents an innovative contribution to the epidemiology of CD in children, the reasons for the observed geographical and socioeconomic differences could be speculated but are still unknown.
High levels of tTGAb indicating coeliac disease are associated with lower BMD and higher fracture frequency in women between 50 and 64 years of age. Osteometry is therefore warranted in middle-aged women detected with tTGAb.
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