[Celiac disease--a frequent cause of "idiopathic osteoporosis" in premenopausal and early postmenopausal women].

INTRODUCTION

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease with a wide variety of clinical symptoms. Osteopathy is its possible manifestation in adulthood.

OBJECTIVE

Verify the assumption, in view of contradictory literary data concerning serological screening for CD in osteoporosis, that the screened group could be women with idiopathic osteoporosis diagnosed in premenopause or within 5 years from its onset. PATIENT SAMPLE AND

RESULTS

We examined 52 patients with idiopathic osteoporosis detected by a DXA test of LS or the femur in premenopause or within the maximum of 5 years after menopause for the presence of antibodies against gliadins IgA, IgG, endomyzium IgA and transglutaminase IgG. In the case of positive results for any of the antibodies, we also performed gastrofibroscopy and duodenal biopsy. The positivity of antibodies was detected in 21 patients (40.8%). In 15 (28.8%) patients, i.e. after the exclusion of Marsh I in 10 patients (19.8%), histopathology was positive for CD. Significantly higher levels of iPTH (p < 0.001) were detected in patients with CD. We did not find any statistically significant differences in other monitored parameters, i.e. in BMI, S-Ca, S-P, proteins, albumins, immunoglobins IgG, IgA, IgM, dUCa. The differences in the occurrence of prevalent fracture (33.4 or 19.8%), autoimmune thyreoiditis (20% or 5.4%), anemia (33% or 16.2%) and dyspepsia (40% or 24.3%) were not significant.

CONCLUSION

The above results confirm the need for serological screening for CD in premenopausal and early postmenopausal patients with "idiopathic osteoporosis".