Screening detected celiac disease in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus: effect on the clinical course (a case control study)

To investigate clinical and metabolic characteristics of diabetic children with screening detected celiac disease in a multicenter case-control study.

98 diabetic patients were diagnosed as having silent celiac disease by screening with endomysial antibodies and subsequent biopsy.

two controls in the same center were chosen, (stratified by age and age-at-diabetes onset) who were negative for endomysial antibodies (n = 195). Height, weight, HbA1c, insulin dosage and acute complications were documented for at least 1 year of follow up.

Mean age of diabetes manifestation was 6.5 +/- 4.1 years and diagnosis of celiac disease was made at 10.0 +/- 5.4 years. Biopsy showed total or subtotal mucosal atrophy in 74 patients. The mean observation period after the diagnosis of celiac disease was 3.3 +/- 1.9 years. Mean HbA1c levels were similar between cases and controls (8.63% +/- 1.45% versus 8.50% +/- 1.39%; P = 0.35). There was also no difference in the frequency of severe hypoglycemia, ketoacidosis and the applied insulin dosage (P = 0.45). Body mass index-standard deviation score at celiac disease diagnosis (0.57 +/- 1.24 versus 0.52 +/- 1.07) and height-standard deviation score (0.14 +/- 1.13 versus 0.30 +/- 0.95) did not differ between cases and controls. After diagnosis of celiac disease, weight gain was diminished in boys with celiac disease compared with their controls (P < 0.05). Female cases also had a lower body mass index than female controls (P = 0.067).

In a cohort of diabetic children, silent celiac disease had no obvious effect on metabolic control but negatively influenced weight gain.