title: Screening for celiac disease among patients with Turner syndrome in Brasília, DF, midwest region of Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several studies have demonstrated a higher prevalence of celiac disease (CD) among females with Turner syndrome when compared to the general population. Nevertheless, there is no record in literature concerning this investigation among Brazilian patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence of CD among a group of Brazilian patients with Turner syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-six females with Turner syndrome and on gluten-containing diet were screened for CD utilizing immunoglobulin A antiendomysium (IgA-EMA) and immunoglobulin A anti-tissue transglutaminase (IgA-tTG) antibody assays. Additionally, they were genotyped for CD human leukocyte antigen (CD-HLA) predisposing alleles. Patients showing positivity in serological testing were offered to perform small intestine biopsy for histological confirmation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age at diagnosis of Turner syndrome was 5.5 ± 4.4 years; mean age at screening for CD was 17.0 ± 9.3 years (from 10 months of age to 52 years). Two girls were positive for IgA-EMA and IgA-tTG, presented predisposing HLA-DQ2 alleles and both had the diagnosis of CD confirmed by jejunal biopsy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 3.6% prevalence of biopsy-proven CD among this group of females with Turner syndrome is 10 times higher than the one among females from the general population of the same geographical area. This result provides additional support to an association between these two disorders and restates that girls and women with Turner syndrome represent a high risk population for developing CD.
authors.affiliation: University of Brasilia School of Medicine, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria do Carmo Sorci
authors.initials: Mdo C
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.forename: Luiz Claudio Gonçalves de
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: Lenora
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gandolfi
authors.forename: Rodrigo Coutinho de
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Mara Santos
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Córdoba
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pratesi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D014424:Turner Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D055815:Young Adult