High prevalence rates of adult silent coeliac disease, as seen in Sweden, must be expected in Denmark.
OBJECTIVE
To disclose the prevalence of adult "silent" coeliac disease in Denmark and Sweden.


METHODS
1573 Danish and 1866 Swedish healthy blood donors were screened for the presence of serum anti-gliadin antibodies (AGA) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. AGA-positive serum samples were further analysed for IgA anti-endomysium antibodies (EmA) by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy.


RESULTS
The Danish donor population had a higher mean age than the Swedish (41.4 years versus 37.6 years) and a higher proportion of females (41% versus 32%), and had a lower mean level of AGA (17.3 units versus 20.6 units). Sixty-one (3.9%) Danish donors had AGA above the cut-off limit, and four of these also had positive EmA tests. Sixty (3.2%) Swedish donors had AGA above the cut-off limit, and five of these also had positive EmA. Coeliac pathology was proven by biopsy in all five coeliac disease-suspected Swedish donors. No small intestinal biopsy was performed in the coeliac disease-suspected Danish donors.


CONCLUSIONS
Based upon the finding of EmA in AGA-positive serum samples, silent coeliac disease may be suspected in 1 per 394 Danish blood donors (2.5 per 1,000). A similar rate was proven in 1 per 373 Swedish blood donors (2.7 per 1,000), indicating no major differences in the prevalence of adult silent coeliac disease between the two neighbouring countries.
Weile
I
I
Department of Paediatrics, Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. weile@dadlnet.dk
Grodzinsky
E
E
Skogh
T
T
Jordal
R
R
Cavell
B
B
Krasilnikoff
P A
PA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D001782:Blood Donors; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005903:Gliadin / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000276:immunology; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
D000906:Antibodies; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D005903:Gliadin