title: Serologic markers of gluten sensitivity in a healthy population from the western region of Saudi Arabia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the prevalence of gluten sensitivity in a healthy adult Saudi population within a low endemic area of celiac disease using IgA tissue transglutaminase antibody. The study was conducted as a prospective pilot study for Saudi attendees of a blood donation centre at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individuals were invited to participate in the study and screened for gluten sensitivity using immunoglobulin A tissue transglutaminase antibody (IgA TTG) along with serum IgA level. Descriptive data was presented and expressed as mean value; correlation between variables was estimated using Pearson correlation, and nonparametric data using Pearson rho correlation (level of P value <0.05 is considered to be statistically significant).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred and four individuals (122 males and 82 females, mean age 35 years) attending the blood donation centre were screened. Three individuals tested positive for IgA TTG showing normal IgA level (1 female and 2 males) with a 1.5% prevalence in the cohort.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Positive celiac screening is present at a low prevalence rate in our adult population, in which the individuals' age and their serum IgA levels are not associated with the positivity level. A study on a larger scale with the application of histologic confirmation of positive cases is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Umm AlQura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. yasirkhayyat@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Yasir M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Khayyat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D011503:Transglutaminases / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D011503:Transglutaminases