HOW TO IDENTIFYING COELIAC DISEASE “INSIDE AND OUTSIDE” THE INTESTINE

Key words: Coeliac disease, EMA

Since highly sensitive and specific serologic tests were made available (AGAs and more recently EMAs) a high prevalence of coeliac disease has been found both in asymptomatic patients and in children affected by various clinical signs and diseases, in absence of typical gastrointestinal signs. A co-operative study carried out with family paediatricians was aimed at assessing the results of testing for coeliac disease in predetermined groups of children, who did not show the typical gastroenterological signs of coeliac disease. 240 children were selected as suspected cases and underwent EMA test; 18 (7.5%) tested positive and were eventually diagnosed as coeliacs on the basis of the intestinal biopsy. The study suggests that EMA testing should be performed in all children showing signs and symptoms or diseases that can be related to coeliac disease.