Prevalence and characteristics of celiac disease in type I diabetes mellitus in Saudi Arabia.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the prevalence of celiac disease in young patients in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with type I diabetes mellitus.


METHODS
Serum gliadin immunoglobulin (Ig) A and reticulin IgA antibody determination was performed in 123 patients with type I diabetes mellitus attending the pediatric diabetic clinic at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between 1995 and 1996.


RESULTS
Elevated serum gliadin and reticulin IgA antibodies were found in the sera of 10 (8.1%) of the 123 diabetic children; none had gastrointestinal symptoms. Six of the 10 subjects had jejunal biopsy, which showed total villus atrophy. Four subjects did not undergo jejunal biopsy. The gender ratio of the biopsy positive is 5 male:1 female. All subjects with IgA positive were put on gluten free diet and normalized in a few months.


CONCLUSIONS
The maximum prevalence of celiac disease in our population was 8.1% based on immunological marker and the minimum was 4.9% based on antibodies and biopsy results.
Department of Pediatrics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. alashwal@kfshrc.edu.sa
Abdullah A
AA
Al-Ashwal
Souheil M
SM
Shabib
Nadia A
NA
Sakati
Najya A
NA
Attia
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology