title: Anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies in coeliac disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate, retrospectively, the frequency of anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies (ASCA) in patients with coeliac disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  ASCA, IgG and IgA were determined by ELISA in sera of 238 coeliac patients. The patients were divided into three groups: group I - 125 untreated patients; group II - 42 patients under a strict gluten-free diet (GFD); and group III - 71 patients who did not comply with a GFD. Sera of 80 healthy blood donors served as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of ASCA (IgG or IgA) was significantly higher in untreated coeliac patients than in the control group (27.2% versus 3.7%, p=10(-5)). In 238 coeliac patients, the frequency of ASCA was significantly higher in adults than in children (35.4% versus 21.1%, p=0.01). In group III, the frequency of ASCA was significantly higher in adults than in children (60% versus 26.1%, p=0.004). In 238 coeliac patients, ASCA IgG were significantly more frequent than ASCA IgA in both children (19% versus 6.3%, p=0.001) and adults (33.3% versus 12.5%, p=5.10(-4)). In children, ASCA IgG were negative in group II and positive in 20% of group I (p=0.01). In adults, the frequency of ASCA IgG was also significantly lower in group II than in group I (9.5% versus 34%, p=0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high frequency of ASCA has been found in coeliac patients. The frequency of ASCA was not statistically different between patients with successful adherence to GFD and healthy controls.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit (03UR/07-02), Faculty of Pharmacy, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Dorsaf
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Toumi
authors.forename: Amani
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mankaï
authors.forename: Ramla
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Belhadj
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ghedira-Besbes
authors.forename: Moncef
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jeddi
authors.forename: Ibtissem
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ghedira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000097:blood*; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005983:Glutens; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D005983:Glutens