title: Prevalence of celiac disease in Shiraz, southern Iran.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was performed to evaluate the prevalence of celiac disease (CD) in Shiraz, southern Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum samples were collected from 1440 persons (age range = 20-83 years, mean age = 45.4 years) in 2004 and screened for endomysial and tissue transglutaminase antibodies. A questionnaire was completed for all subjects in relation to gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and cases with positive serology were requested to undergo small-bowel biopsy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven cases (0.5%) were positive for IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase (anti-tTG), and only two (0.14%) were positive for IgA anti-endomysial antibody (anti-EMA), both of whom had highly positive anti-tTg levels (40.4 and 48.0 IU/l). The major clinical symptoms of CD, such as recurrent abdominal pain and change in bowel habits were present in all patients with positive anti-tTG assays. Only five subjects with positive serology agreed to undergo upper GI endoscopy and duodenal biopsy. Three of these cases were reported with Marsh I histologic findings, while in the two cases with positive serologic anti-EMA, more advanced forms of CD were present.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of CD in apparently healthy adults was lower than the reported series from northern parts of the country; therefore, we suggest a more long-term follow-up study in high-risk groups, especially in the apparently healthy subjects in our region.
authors: Gastroenterohepatology Research Center, Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. grc@sums.ac.ir
authors: Mehdi
authors: M
authors: Saberi-Firouzi
authors: Gholamhossein R
authors: GR
authors: Omrani
authors: Marzieh
authors: M
authors: Nejabat
authors: Davood
authors: D
authors: Mehrabani
authors: Farnaz
authors: F
authors: Khademolhosseini