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Serological screening for celiac disease in schoolchildren in Jordan. Is height and weight affected when
Mohamad K Nusier1, Hedda Konstanse Brodtkorb, Siv Elisabeth Rein
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan. nusier@rogers.com
Insights
Celiac disease (CD) affects 0.8% of schoolchildren in Jordan, with seropositive boys showing reduced height and weight. Early detection is crucial for managing this public health issue.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Immunology
- Public Health
Background:
- Celiac disease (CD) is a growing public health concern with varying prevalence across populations.
- Investigating CD prevalence in Jordanian schoolchildren is essential due to potential ethnic variations.
- Assessing the impact of serological markers for CD on children's growth parameters is critical.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of celiac disease in apparently healthy schoolchildren in Irbid City, Jordan, using serological markers.
- To evaluate the effect of positive celiac disease serology on height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) in children.
- To identify potential gender-specific impacts of celiac disease on growth metrics.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 1985 schoolchildren (ages 5.5–9.5 years) was screened for celiac disease.
- Serum samples were analyzed for IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTG) antibodies and IgA anti-endomysium antibodies (EmA) using ELISA.
- Height, weight, and BMI were measured, and seropositive children were identified based on EmA confirmation.
Main Results:
- The serological prevalence of celiac disease was found to be 0.8% (1:124) among the studied schoolchildren.
- Seropositive children exhibited a significant reduction in height compared to seronegative children.
- Boys who were seropositive showed significant reductions in both height and weight.
Conclusions:
- Celiac disease is a prevalent condition among schoolchildren in Jordan.
- Seropositive children, particularly boys, tend to have lower height, weight, and BMI.
- These findings highlight the importance of screening for celiac disease in pediatric populations, especially in regions with limited data.
Background:
Celiac disease (CD) emerged as a public health problem, and the disease prevalence varies among different races. The present study was designed to investigate the prevalence of CD using serological markers in apparently healthy schoolchildren in Irbid City, Jordan. Additionally, the effect of positive serology on height, weight and body mass index (BMI) was evaluated.
Methods:
The study population consisted of 1985 children (1117 girls and 868 boys), age range was 5.5 to 9.5 years. Height and weight were measured and blood samples were collected from each individual. Serum samples were analyzed for IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies (tTG) using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). tTG positive samples were further analyzed for IgA anti-endomysium antibodies (EmA) with a commercial ELISA. Samples confirmed positive with EmA were considered seropositive.
Results:
Sixteen children were CD positive. The serological prevalence was estimated to be 1:124 (0.8%; 95% CI, 0.5% to 1.3%). Significant impact on growth (height) was found in seropositive children. When both sexes were individually analyzed, only boys showed height reduction. Furthermore, seropositive boys also had a significant weight reduction.
Conclusion:
This study demonstrated that CD is prevalent among schoolchildren in Jordan. The seropositive children tend to have lower height, weight, and BMI than the seronegative group. These differences were significant only for boys. None of the participants is known to have CD prior to the study.
