Vitamin A levels are comparable between children with newly diagnosed coeliac disease and non-coeliac controls.

AIM: Nutritional deficiencies associated with coeliac disease include iron, folic acid and fat-soluble vitamins. This study compared the prevalence and degree of vitamin A deficiency among newly diagnosed coeliac disease patients to controls in a developed country.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study included all children evaluated by gastroscopy at Dana-Dwek Children's Hospital, Israel, between September 2014 and February 2017. Vitamin A, haemoglobin, C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, tissue transglutaminase, immunoglobulin A and vitamin D levels were measured.

RESULTS

Of the 113 children (69% females), 47 were diagnosed with coeliac disease whereas the others were the controls (mean age of 8.2 ± 3.8 years and 12.4 ± 3.5 years, respectively). There was no group difference in vitamin A, vitamin D or CRP levels. Among coeliac children, two had true vitamin A deficiency compared with three controls, while 18 coeliac children had subclinical vitamin A deficiency compared with 25 controls (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Paediatric coeliac disease was not associated with increased prevalence of vitamin A deficiency. Children evaluated for gastrointestinal complaints in a developed country were found to have an unexpectedly high prevalence of subclinical vitamin A deficiency. Further prevalence and causality assessments of vitamin A deficiency in developed countries are needed.