[Frequency of celiac disease among patients with psoriasis]

A possible relationship has been reported between psoriasis and celiac disease, with common pathogenic mechanisms that may need further investigation.

To investigate the presence of clinical and serological markers for celiac disease in a group of Chilean psoriatic patients.

We included 80 psoriatic patients (42 males) aged 16 to 79 years, whose serum was tested for antitransglutaminase antibodies (ATGA) and antiendomysial antibodies (AEMA). Patients with weakly positive AEMA tests were also tested for antigliadin antibodies (AGA).

In six patients (7.5%), AEMA and AGA were positive and one patient was positive for ATGA. An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and duodenal biopsy was offered to these six patients and five accepted the procedure. Only one had a pathological diagnosis of celiac disease.

Only one of 80 patients with psoriasis had celiac disease (1.2%). Other four patients with positive serologic markers had a normal duodenal biopsy. This group of patients may have latent celiac disease and they should be followed up.