title: Serological screening (antigliadin and antiendomysium antibodies) for non-overt coeliac disease in children of short stature.
abstract: This study aimed to assess the value of IgA-antigliadin and antiendomysium antibodies for coeliac disease screening in children with short stature. In 118 children with height less than the 3rd percentile for age preliminary work-up included absorption, hormonal and genetic studies, sweat test, X-ray for bone age, serum immunoglobulin levels and antigliadin antibodies. In 65 patients antiendomysium antibody and a small-intestinal biopsy were performed. Forty-three children had a normal mucosa and 22 a subtotal villous atrophy. Three coeliac children were negative for both antigliadin and antiendomysium antibodies; one further 11-year-old boy was negative only for antiendomysium antibodies. Sensitivity and specificity for antigliadin antibodies were 94.75% and 93%, respectively, and for antiendomysium antibodies 88.3% and 90.5%. Our results show that the use of antiendomysium antibodies as a confirmatory test to select patients for biopsy could result in coeliac disease going undiagnosed in adolescents.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Unit H. Infantil La Fe, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Lecea
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ribes-Koninckx
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Polanco
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Calvete
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D001827:Body Height; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005903:Gliadin / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012698:Serologic Tests; D017678:Sex Distribution
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D005903:Gliadin