REVIEW OF CELIAC DISEASE PRESENTATION IN A PEDIATRIC TERTIARY CENTRE

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Immunology
• Clinical Nutrition

Background:

• Celiac disease is an immune-mediated disorder with varied presentations, complicating diagnosis.
• Understanding these diverse characteristics is crucial for timely intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, and histologic features of pediatric celiac disease at diagnosis and during follow-up.
• To characterize the disease spectrum in children.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 159 children (ages 1-17) diagnosed between 2014-2016.
• Data collected from electronic medical records and clinical notes.
• Evaluation included clinical symptoms, family history, serology, histology, and growth parameters.

Main Results:

• Classical presentation in 60%, non-classical in 25%, subclinical in 10%.
• Common symptoms: abdominal pain (58%), diarrhea (43%). Deficiencies noted: low ferritin (63%), vitamin D (62%).
• Gluten-free diet led to complete (51%) or partial (49%) clinical improvement; 100% showed height increase and 96% weight gain.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric celiac disease exhibits diverse clinical manifestations requiring broad clinician awareness.
• Early diagnosis and treatment significantly improve symptoms and nutritional status in affected children.