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Updated: Aug 16, 2025
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Published on: July 5, 2022
Diagnostic delay in adult coeliac disease: An Italian multicentre study
Marco Vincenzo Lenti1, Nicola Aronico2, Paola Ilaria Bianchi2
1Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; First Department of Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
Background:
There are few data regarding the diagnostic delay and its predisposing factors in coeliac disease (CD).
Aims:
To investigate the overall, the patient-dependant, and the physician-dependant diagnostic delays in CD.
Methods:
CD adult patients were retrospectively enroled at 19 Italian CD outpatient clinics (2011-2021). Overall, patient-dependant, and physician-dependant diagnostic delays were assessed. Extreme diagnostic, i.e., lying above the third quartile of our population, was also analysed. Multivariable regression models for factors affecting the delay were fitted.
Results:
Overall, 2362 CD patients (median age at diagnosis 38 years, IQR 27-46; M:F ratio=1:3) were included. The median overall diagnostic delay was 8 months (IQR 5-14), while patient- and physician-dependant delays were 3 (IQR 2-6) and 4 (IQR 2-6) months, respectively. Previous misdiagnosis was associated with greater physician-dependant (1.076, p = 0.005) and overall (0.659, p = 0.001) diagnostic delays. Neurological symptoms (odds ratio 2.311, p = 0.005) and a previous misdiagnosis (coefficient 9.807, p = 0.000) were associated with a greater extreme physician-dependant delay. Gastrointestinal symptoms (OR 1.880, p = 0.004), neurological symptoms (OR 2.313, p = 0.042), and previous misdiagnosis (OR 4.265, p = 0.000) were associated with increased extreme overall diagnostic delay.
Conclusion:
We identified some factors that hamper CD diagnosis. A proper screening strategy for CD should be implemented.
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