Latent coeliac disease in Italy. The SIGEP Working Group on Latent Coeliac Disease. Italian Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
The term latent coeliac disease applies to patients who have a normal jejunal biopsy while taking a normal diet and, at some other time, before or since, have had a flat jejunal biopsy recovering on a gluten-free diet. Nineteen such patients were identified after a multicentre search conducted under the auspices of the Italian Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology (SIGEP). Serological data and histological material suitable for morphometric analysis were available from 10 and 8 patients, respectively, while they were on a gluten-containing diet. Neither gliadin antibodies nor increased density of intraepithelial lymphocytes are obligate markers of latent coeliac disease; endomysial antibodies are likely to be best predictors of evolution towards villous atrophy. Prospective studies are needed to allow a more precise definition of latent coeliac patient features.
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Department of Pediatrics, University Federico II, Naples, Italy.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004035:Diet Therapy; D005260:Female; D005903:Gliadin / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007583:Jejunum / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008214:Lymphocytes; D008297:Male
D000906:Antibodies; D005903:Gliadin