Celiac disease in African American children with type 1 diabetes mellitus in inner city Brooklyn.

OBJECTIVE: There is a strong evidence for association between type 1 diabetes and Celiac Disease. Up to 8% of patients with type1 diabetes have characteristic features of CD on small intestinal biopsy. Type 1 diabetics who have HLA DQ2 or DQ8 are at risk for CD. However most of this data is from studies conducted in Europe, with mostly Caucasian population. This study aims to identify the prevalence of celiac disease in African American children with Type1 diabetes in inner city Brooklyn, New York.

METHODS: IgA and IgG Antigliadin antibodies, IgA tissue transglutaminase and HLA typing was measured in blood collected from 34 children with type1 diabetes mellitus. Patients with positive anti tissue transglutaminase antibody underwent small intestinal biopsy.

RESULTS: 17 patients had elevated IgG AGA, none showed elevated IgA AGA. Only one patient had elevated IgA and anti tTG levels, and a normal small intestinal biopsy. 28 patients had HLA DQ2 or DQ8 present.

CONCLUSIONS: 94% of the African American children with type1 diabetes were serology negative for celiac disease inspite of having the predisposing HLA haplotype. Only one patient was positive for anti tTG antibody, with a negative small intestinal biopsy, the prevalence of celiac disease in this population may not be similar to the other populations. Pediatric Endocrinology in review 990,2008.