Prevalence of celiac disease in dyspeptic patients

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Celiac disease is one of the most common dietary-mediated inflammatory enteropathies that occur in genetically predisposed individuals in response to gluten intolerance. This disorder has become more common than in the past, even if it frequently remains undetected for long periods of time. The screening of patients with dyspepsia, a symptom that can be a manifestation of celiac disease, may allow an early identification of affected individuals. Endoscopy and serological tests may have an important role in the management of these patients. AIMS: Determining the prevalence of celiac disease in dyspeptic patients submitted to routine diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. PATIENTS/METHODS: Endoscopic findings, duodenal biopsy histological specimens and serological test results were assessed and compared in 142 patients consecutively admitted with dyspeptic symptoms between October 2001 and October 2003. RESULTS: An endoscopic pattern suggestive of celiac disease was observed in four patients. The IgG-AGA assay was positive in 24 patients. Two of the IgG-AGA positive patients also yielded positive results on the IgA-EMA test and concomitantly disclosed endoscopic pattern and histological features in duodenal biopsy compatible with celiac disease. Abnormal endoscopic findings were notably marked in biopsy proven celiac patients. Therefore, a 1.4% prevalence of celiac disease was observed in this study group. CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of celiac among dyspeptic symptomatic individuals indicates that they are a higher risk group for developing celiac disease. Undiagnosed celiac disease may be inferred by endoscopic markers of duodenal villous atrophy. Endoscopic findings, however, may be inadequate to suitably diagnose this disease and consequently the incorporation of diagnostic serologic assays of celiac disease in routine testing for dyspepsia is strongly recommended.

Celiac disease prevalence is not increased in patients with functional dyspepsia

“…The question whether dyspeptic patients have an increased risk of CD has been previously assessed, with conflicting results (2,4,7,13) . Some limitations must be mentioned: some of these studies were underpowered or did not use a pre-specified definition of dyspepsia.…”

“…Previous evidence trying to assess the risk of CD among dyspeptic patients has been inconclusive, showing in some cases notorious discrepancies (2,4,7,13) . This may be due to methodological differences in the way they were designed.…”

The Prevalence of Celiac Disease in Patients With Iron-Deficiency Anemia in Center and South Area of Iran

“…Celiac Disease or gluten-sensitive enteropathy is an autoimmune enteropathy attributable to food gluten intolerance in genetically susceptible individuals (34) . It consists of a large spectrum from overt malabsorption or usual gastrointestinal symptoms to clinically silent conditions (22) .…”

Gluten sensitive enteropathy in patients with iron deficiency anemia of unknown origin

“…Gluten sensitive enteropathy (GSE) is an autoimmune enteropathy due to food gluten intolerance in genetically predisposed people [1] . While GSE was thought to be a rare disease in the past and was believed to be essentially a disease of Europeans [2][3][4][5] , recent screening studies showed that GSE is one of the most frequent genetically based diseases which occurs worldwide, with a prevalence ranging from 1:85 to 1:500 in different populations [6][7][8][9] .…”