Serum prevalence of celiac disease in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus.
OBJECTIVE
The association between celiac disease and diabetes mellitus has been known for many decades. This combination can be observed in a large proportion of diabetic patients, who are generally asymptomatic. The objective of this study was to evaluate the seroprevalence of celiac disease in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study employing antibody IgA anti-transglutaminase for the serological screening of 354 diabetic children and adolescents treated at pediatric endocrinology clinics in Recife, state of Pernambuco, during the period from January to June 2004.


RESULTS
The human anti-transglutaminase test was positive in 37/354 patients, resulting in a seroprevalence of 10.5% (95%CI 7.6-14.2%). Male patients predominated (56.8%) over female patients (43.2%) among those that were seropositive, but without statistical significance. Anti-endomysial antibody testing was performed on patients with positive human anti-transglutaminase results, being negative in 14/37 (37.8%) and positive in 22/37 (59.5%).


CONCLUSIONS
The seroprevalence of celiac disease found in diabetic children and adolescents in Pernambuco is elevated, being comparable with levels observed in studies in North America and Europe and lower than in Africa, suggesting that serological screening for celiac disease should be performed for all children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus.
Araújo
Jacqueline
J
Endocrinologista pediatra, Instituto Materno-Infantil de Pernambuco (IMIP) e Hospital das Clínicas, Recife, PE, Brasil. araujoj@hotlink.com.br
da Silva
Gisélia Alves Pontes
GA
de Melo
Francisco Montenegro
FM
D000293:Adolescent; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005903:Gliadin / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D011503:Transglutaminases / Q000276:immunology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D005903:Gliadin; D011503:Transglutaminases