[Celiac disease in adolescents]

Nutritional status, sexual maturation and intestinal absorption were assessed in 16 adolescent celiac patients (12 females) at ages 12 and 18 year. Weight/age, height/age and weight/height were 75.5% (51.6-94.8), 90.3% (76.8-104.6) and 99.1% (76.3-112.9) at 12 years and 85.6% (64.0-105.2), 93.8% (85.9-101.2) and 110% (76.5-121.9) at 18 years of age, respectively. Sexual maturation (Tanner) was at stage I in 31%, and at stage II in 43.7% of patients at age 12 years and it had reached maturity in 75% of them at 18 years. Menarche occurred between 12 and 14 years of age, except in 3 patients in whom it was retarded. Mean serum carotene levels were 125 and 108.5 ug/dl at ages 12 and 18 years respectively. Delayed weight and height progress in this particular group of patients might be explained by low socio-economic conditions, late diagnosis, and poor adherence to gluten-free diet.