Premium
Evaluation of screening for coeliac disease in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Author(s) -
Öman Anders,
Hansson Tony,
Carlsson Martin,
Berntson Lillemor
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
acta paediatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/apa.14598
Subject(s) - medicine , coeliac disease , asymptomatic , antibody , population , arthritis , autoantibody , immunoglobulin a , juvenile , selective iga deficiency , cohort , pediatrics , gastroenterology , tissue transglutaminase , disease , immunology , immunoglobulin g , biochemistry , chemistry , environmental health , biology , genetics , enzyme
Aim To study the prevalence of coeliac disease (CD) in children with Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), by screening a population‐based cohort of children with JIA using autoantibodies against tissue transglutaminase (anti‐TG2). Methods All children diagnosed with JIA in three Swedish counties, with disease onset between 2007 and 2014, were included prospectively. Serum levels of IgA anti‐TG2 antibodies, IgG anti‐TG2 antibodies, and total IgA were analysed. Children with positive levels of IgA anti‐TG2 antibodies and children with IgA deficiency in combination with positive levels of IgG anti‐TG2 antibodies were referred to the paediatric gastroenterology unit for gastroscopy and small intestine biopsy. Results A total of 216 children were included, and analysis of IgA and IgG anti‐TG2 antibodies was performed in 213 children. Three children were diagnosed with CD prior to the diagnosis of JIA, and three additional children were found through screening, resulting in a CD point prevalence of 2.8% (95% CI 0.6–5.0%). Conclusion We found a point prevalence of CD close to previous described prevalence in the general population of Swedish children. Therefore, general screening for CD in children with JIA is not supported by our data. However, this study shows that asymptomatic CD in children with JIA may be found by screening.