title: Screening for celiac disease in Tunisian patients with Graves' disease using anti-endomysium and anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Celiac disease (CD) can be associated with autoimmune thyroid diseases. The aim of this study was to screen for CD in patients with Graves' disease in Tunisia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sera from 161 patients with Graves' disease were tested for IgA class anti-endomysium antibodies (AEA) using indirect immunofluorescence on cryostat sections of human umbilical cord and for IgA class anti-human tissue transglutaminase antibodies (AtTG) by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AEA were positive in 6 out of 161 (3.7%) patients with Graves' disease and all 6 patients were also positive for AtTG. Four of these 6 patients with positive serological markers of CD underwent duodenal biopsy; three had marked villous atrophy, one has normal histological picture and two did not agree to undergo biopsy. The prevalence of biopsy confirmed CD in patients with Graves' disease was 1.86% (3/161).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with Graves' disease are at substantial risk of CD and therefore antibody screening for CD may be included in the work-up of these patients. Either AEA or AtTG may be used.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Research Unit (03/UR/07-02), Faculty of Pharmacy, Monastir.
authors.forename: Amani
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mankaï
authors.forename: Molka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chadli-Chaieb
authors.forename: Fathia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Saad
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ghedira-Besbes
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ouertani
authors.forename: Habib
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sfar
authors.forename: Monia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Limem
authors.forename: Majda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ben Abdessalem
authors.forename: Moncef
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jeddi
authors.forename: Larbi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chaieb
authors.forename: Ibtissem
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ghedira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D011503:Transglutaminases / Q000276:immunology*; D014416:Tunisia
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D011503:Transglutaminases