title: Can the sensitivity of the histopathological diagnosis of coeliac disease be increased and can treatment progression be monitored using mathematical modelling of histological sections? - A pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this pilot study was to attempt to define a set of equations from histological observations of tissue affected with coeliac disease (CD) to predict Marsh score.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tissue from 15 patients with untreated CD, 6 patients with treated CD and 9 healthy control patients were stained using the standard H&E, Giemsa's staining for tissue sections and Alcian Blue protocols. A number of histological measures were then taken from each section and the data was used to ultimately design a set of linear predictive algorithms to calculate Marsh score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using MANOVA and discriminant analysis, two linear functions were defined which could accurately predict the Marsh score of patients 62.5% (full Marsh score) to 79.2% (simplified Marsh score) of the time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This pilot study has shown that a set of objective histological measures can be used to define algorithms to predict Marsh score in CD patients and also monitor treatment compliance and progression.
authors.affiliation: Brain Behaviour Research Group, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Richard P G
authors.initials: RPG
authors.lastname: Charlesworth
authors.affiliation: Brain Behaviour Research Group, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Nicholas M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Andronicos
authors.affiliation: Tamworth Rural Referral Hospital and Tamara Private Hospital, Tamworth, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: McFarlane
authors.affiliation: Brain Behaviour Research Group, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: lagnew2@une.edu.au.
authors.forename: Linda L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Agnew
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006652:Histological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Coeliac disease; Diagnosis; Discriminant analysis; Monitoring