title: Prevalence of IgA-antigliadin antibodies and IgA-antiendomysium antibodies related to celiac disease in children with Down syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of celiac disease in children and adolescents with Down syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-three children and adolescents with Down syndrome were screened for IgA-antigliadin antibodies (AGA) and IgA-antiendomysium antibodies (EMA). Patients found to be either AGA- or EMA-positive were investigated further with intestinal biopsy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the 43 patients had known celiac disease at entry into the study; 37% (16/43) were found to have AGA levels above normal, and 16% (7/43) to be EMA-positive. Of the 15 patients who underwent biopsy, 8 manifested villous atrophy. Villous atrophy was present in all 7 of the EMA-positive patients, whereas the villi were normal in 7 of the 13 AGA-positive patients who underwent biopsy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EMA is a good immunologic marker for use in screening for celiac disease, and screening is justified in patients with Down syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Lund, University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carlsson
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Axelsson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Borulf
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bredberg
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Forslund
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lindberg
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sjöberg
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ivarsson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D005903:Gliadin / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000473:pathology; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000276:immunology*; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D005903:Gliadin