Assessment of correlation between the presence of antiendomysial antibodies and small intestine mucosal villous atrophy in the diagnostics of celiac disease.
BACKGROUND
The aim of the study was to analyze the degree of correlation between the presence of serum antiendomysial antibodies and villous atrophy in small intestine mucosa in patients with celiac disease.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis carried out in a group of 88 children and young adults (28 males, 60 females aged from 2 to 23) hospitalized in the Clinic from 1990 to the present with positive results of serum antiendomysial antibody test performed because of suspected celiac disease. The IgA - EmA test was performed after determination of whole IgA level in the serum using indirect immunofluorescence technique with monkey esophagus as an antigen. All patients underwent endoscopic small intestine biopsy with histopathological assessment of mucosal bioptates using standard hematoxylin and eosin staining.


RESULTS
The serum levels of IgA in all investigated patients were normal. The levels of antiendomysial antibodies expressed in IF units ranged from 10 to 40960. Histopathological assessment of small intestine mucosal bioptates revealed partial (in 13.6% of patients) or total (in 86.4% of patients) villous atrophy.


CONCLUSIONS
The study demonstrated complete correlation between the presence of serum antiendomysial antibodies and villous atrophy in the small intestine mucosa.
Szaflarska-Szczepanik
Anna
A
Department of Pediatrics, Allergology and Gastroenterology, Medical University in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D015415:Biomarkers; D007070:Immunoglobulin A