Associations of Clinical Presentation of Coeliac Disease with Comorbidities and Complications: A Retrospective Single-Centre Analysis.

Background

The clinical presentation of coeliac disease (CD) is various and may influence disease course. We aimed to investigate the associations of clinical presentation with comorbidities and disease complications in a cohort of Hungarian coeliac patients.

Methods

In this retrospective study, data of consecutive CD patients were analysed. Clinical presentation (classical vs. non-classical), extraintestinal manifestations and comorbidities (anaemia, metabolic bone disease, dermatitis herpetiformis, IgA deficiency, chromosomal abnormalities, autoimmune diseases and malignancy) were assessed. Student's t-test (for age at diagnosis) and the Chi-squared test or Fisher's exact test (for categorical variables) were applied as analyses.

Results

A total of 738 patients were included. In classical vs. non-classical comparisons, classical presentation was significantly associated with metabolic bone disease (59 vs. 36%, respectively, p < 0.001), anaemia (47 vs. 38%, respectively, p = 0.027) and malignancy (6 vs. 2%, respectively, p = 0.006); however, autoimmune diseases and dermatitis herpetiformis were more common with non-classical presentation (23 vs. 31%, p = 0.02, and 5 vs. 16%, p = 0.014, respectively).

Conclusions

Our findings confirm that clinical presentation is associated with certain comorbidities and complications in CD. More personalised follow-up may be recommended based on clinical presentation.