[Prevalence of celiac disease serological markers in Tunisian type 1 diabetic adults].

OBJECTIVE

to evaluate the prevalence of celiac serological markers; anti-transglutaminase (ATGt), anti-endomysium (AE), anti-gliadin (AGD) and anti-reticulin (AR) antibodies; in type 1 diabetic Tunisian adults.

SUBJECTS AND

METHODS

261 type 1 diabetic patients aged from 16 to 60 years were enrolled in this prospective study. IgG and IgA transglutaminase and gliadin were measured with ELISA. IgA AE were tested by indirect immunofluorescence using 2 substrates; monkey oesophagus and human umbilical cord. AR were detected by indirect immunofluorescence on rat liver, kidney and stomach. Sera IgA level was measured by turbidimetry.

RESULTS

83/261 of diabetics were positive for at least one antibody, 5.7% had ATGt-A, 3.4% AE on monkey esophagus, 3.1% AE on umbilical cordon, 18% AGD-A, 19.5% AGD-G and 3.1% AR. There was an excellent concordance between AE and ATGt (r = 0.9). Out of the 261 diabetics, 5 had an IgA deficiency and one of them has IgG AE and ATGt.

CONCLUSION

serological markers of celiac disease seem to be frequent in diabetics. Nevertheless, diagnosis must be confirmed by histological studies which allow us to know the real prevalence of celiac disease in diabetic adults.