Increased prevalence of coeliac disease in autoimmune thyroiditis is restricted to aged patients.
Patients with autoimmune thyroiditis (AT) have an increased prevalence of coeliac disease (CD), an immune-mediated enteropathy. It is unknown, however, whether prevalence of CD in AT is affected by age. Sera from 514 patients with AT aged <65 yr (46+/-12 yr), 223 patients with AT aged >or=65 yr (71+/-5 yr), 300 controls aged <65 yr (45+/-12 yr), and 300 controls aged >or=65 yr (71+/-6 yr) were tested for IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase (anti-tTG) and antiendomysial antibodies (EmA). If anti-tTG or EmA IgA were positive, jejunal biopsy was performed to confirm CD diagnosis. Prevalence of CD was significantly higher in patients with AT aged >or=65 yr (3.6%, P=0.024) than in patients with AT aged <65 yr (0.6%), controls aged <65 yr and controls aged >or=65 yr (both 0.3%). Prevalence of CD did not significantly differ across patients with AT aged <65 yr, controls aged <65 yr and controls aged >or=65 yr. In conclusion, prevalence of CD is increased in AT but the association is limited to patients aged 65 years or older. Serological screening including anti-tTG-IgA is recommended in these patients.
Department of Internal Medicine, Cardioangiology and Hepatology, University Hospital S. Orsola-Malpighi, Via Massarenti, 9, Bologna 40138, Italy. ravaglia@almadns.unibo.it
Giovanni
G
Ravaglia
Paola
P
Forti
Fabiola
F
Maioli
Umberto
U
Volta
Giorgia
G
Arnone
Gaia
G
Pantieri
Teresa
T
Talerico
Antonio
A
Muscari
Marco
M
Zoli
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005903:Gliadin / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D011503:Transglutaminases / Q000276:immunology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D005903:Gliadin; D011503:Transglutaminases