title: Dietary compliance in screening-detected coeliac disease adolescents.
abstract: In 1992-94 we screened 6315 students for coeliac disease (CD) by testing antigliadin antibodies (AGA) as the first-level investigation. We found 28 biopsy-proven coeliac patients who were invited to start the gluten-free diet (GFD). The aim of this study was a clinical and laboratory follow-up in these screening-detected coeliac adolescents. Patients were 17 females and 11 males with a mean age at diagnosis of 12.8 +/- 1 years (range 11-4). Mean follow-up duration time was 23 +/- 7 months (range 9-37). Twenty-three of the 28 screening-detected coeliac patients came to the control visit, 3 refused the follow-up and 2 subjects were not found. Twelve patients (52.2%) stated that they never ate any gluten-containing food, while 11 of them (47.8%) reported occasional transgressions to the diet. GFD acceptance was reported as good (n = 6), moderate (n = 11) or low (n = 6). After starting the GFD, signs of improvement were seen in most patients, such as weight gain, increased height velocity and increased feeling of well-being. AGA (both IgG and IgA classes) and antiendomysium antibodies (AEA) were normal in 19 subjects, 2 cases had IgG-AGA and AEA positivity, 1 patient showed abnormal AGA and AEA levels, while isolated IgA-AGA positivity persisted in 1 case. This study shows that even silent CD cases can clinically benefit from the GFD. The consequences of occasional transgressions to the GFD remain unclear.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fabiani
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Catassi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villari
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gismondi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pierdomenico
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Rätsch
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Coppa
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Giorgi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005983:Glutens / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005983:Glutens