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Published on: December 15, 2011

Risk of thromboembolism in 14,000 individuals with coeliac disease

Jonas F Ludvigsson1, Adina Welander, Riitta Lassila

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, Orebro University Hospital, and Department of Medicine, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. jonasludvigsson@yahoo.com

British Journal of Haematology
|September 15, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Individuals with coeliac disease (CD) face an elevated risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), particularly when diagnosed in adulthood. This association highlights the importance of considering VTE risk in CD patients.

Area of Science:

  • Gastroenterology
  • Epidemiology
  • Hematology

Background:

  • Coeliac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder affecting the small intestine.
  • Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant health concern with multifactorial causes.
  • The relationship between CD and VTE risk requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between coeliac disease and the risk of developing subsequent venous thromboembolism.
  • To determine if the risk of VTE differs based on the age of CD diagnosis.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized the Swedish national inpatient register to identify 14,207 individuals with CD (1964-2003).
  • Matched CD patients with 69,048 reference individuals based on age, sex, calendar year, and county.
  • Employed Cox regression analysis to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for VTE in individuals with over 1 year of follow-up and no prior VTE.

Main Results:

  • Coeliac disease was associated with a significantly increased risk of subsequent VTE (HR = 1.86).
  • The elevated VTE risk was primarily observed in individuals diagnosed with CD in adulthood.
  • The association persisted even when comparing CD patients to general inpatients (adjusted HR = 1.27).

Conclusions:

  • A statistically significant positive association exists between coeliac disease and venous thromboembolism.
  • The increased VTE risk in CD patients may be influenced by factors such as surveillance bias and chronic inflammation.
  • Adult-onset CD diagnosis is a key factor in the heightened VTE risk.

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