Prevalence of celiac disease in Diyala children and adolescents with short stature

Abstract

Prevalence of celiac disease in Diyala children and adolescents with short stature

The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of celiac disease (CD) in children and adolescences of short stature in diyala governorate. A total of 80 short stature patients (65% males) their ages were between 4-17 years of with or without gastrointestinal symptoms were studied over three years (2003-2006). Routine physical and laboratory examinations performed to exclude other causes of short stature and those with negative workup were studied with endoscopic intestinal biopsy. Seventeen 17 (21.25%) of them showed histological abnormalities compatible with CD,70.58% of  them were males. There was no statistically significant difference in anthropometric characters between patients with CD and short stature and those with short stature of undetermined cause .82% of patients with CD showed abnormal duodenal mucosa endoscopically and 82.35% of them they have marsh's grade three histopathological changes. Those with normal histopathological results are referred for endocrinological studies.

Conclusions: There was high prevalence of celiac disease among short stature children and adolescents in diyala governorate.