title: Celiac disease in first-degree relatives of patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of celiac disease and to describe the histological alterations, clinical manifestations, and conditions associated with a group of first-degree relatives of celiac disease patients in the municipality of Recife, Northeast Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in outpatient clinics of pediatric gastroenterology located in Recife. We included in the study 174 first-degree relatives who were screened for the anti-transglutaminase IgA antibody. Those relatives who had positive serological tests were invited to undergo a small intestine biopsy (classified according to Marsh). They were also evaluated regarding weight, height, clinical symptoms and conditions associated with celiac disease. The chi-square test and Fisher's exact test were used to assess the differences with a significance level of p < 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The anti-transglutaminase IgA antibody was positive for 20.1% (34/174) of the relatives (95%CI 14.6-26.5). There was no difference in terms of positive serological tests regarding either degree of kinship or sex. Twenty-two patients underwent biopsy. Thirteen had histological alterations classified as Marsh stage 3; seven had stage 1; and two had stage zero, with a probable prevalence of 11.5%. All patients, except for one, had symptoms; the only patient with no symptoms was short.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Celiac disease prevalence in this group of relatives was high. All new cases identified were symptomatic or had associated conditions. In this group, there was a high frequency of individuals with positive serological tests, symptoms suggestive of celiac disease, and no evidence of villous atrophy in the intestinal mucosa.
authors: Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE, Brazil. margarida.mmcastro@gmail.com
authors: Margarida M
authors: MM
authors: Castro-Antunes
authors: Roberta
authors: R
authors: Magalhães
authors: Josemar M M
authors: JM
authors: Nobre
authors: Bruna P
authors: BP
authors: Duarte
authors: Bruna P
authors: BP
authors: Silva
authors: Giselia A P
authors: GA
authors: Silva
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D011503:Transglutaminases / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D011503:Transglutaminases