Celiac disease among at-risk individuals in Saudi Arabia

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology and Hepatology
• Clinical Immunology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten consumption.
• At-risk populations, including those with type-1 diabetes mellitus (DM), short stature (SS), and Down syndrome (DS), have a higher predisposition to CD.
• Understanding CD prevalence in these groups is crucial for timely diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a meta-analysis on the prevalence of celiac disease (CD) in at-risk populations within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
• To compare the findings with a previously reported meta-analysis of CD prevalence in the general Saudi Arabian population.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective search of databases and journals for studies on CD in at-risk populations in KSA was performed.
• Data from sixteen relevant articles were analyzed using statistical software (SPSS Version 20) and Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA).
• Prevalence was calculated for seropositive and biopsy-proven CD, with heterogeneity assessed using the I2 statistic.

Main Results:

• The meta-analysis revealed a seropositive CD prevalence of 15.6% (I2=80.353) and a biopsy-proven CD prevalence of 10.6% (I2=73.359) in at-risk populations.
• One study reported distinct figures of 18.4% for seroprevalence and 6.9% for biopsy-proven CD.
• The female-to-male ratio for CD was 1.9:1, consistent across both at-risk and normal populations.

Conclusions:

• The prevalence of both biopsy-proven (10.6%) and seropositive (15.6%) CD in at-risk Saudi Arabian populations is substantially higher than previously reported in the general population (1.4% and 2.7%).
• The consistent female-to-male ratio suggests similar disease patterns across different population groups.
• Further meta-analyses focusing on CD prevalence within specific at-risk subgroups (DM, SS, DS) in KSA are recommended.