Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2026
10:57
Determining Soil-transmitted Helminth Infection Status and Physical Fitness of School-aged Children
Published on: August 22, 2012
Potential coeliac disease in children: a single-center experience
Luisa Lonoce1,2, Simona Ferraro1, Luca Lalli3
1Pediatric Department, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy.
Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
|April 24, 2025
Summary
Only a small fraction of children with potential celiac disease (PCD) progress to celiac disease (CD). Advancing age and autoimmune conditions are key risk factors for developing villous atrophy in these children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Immunology
- Autoimmune Diseases
Background:
- Potential celiac disease (PCD) is characterized by positive celiac disease (CD)-specific autoantibodies and minimal intestinal damage.
- Understanding PCD progression is crucial for early diagnosis and management of CD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the progression rate of PCD to CD in children who continue to consume gluten.
- To identify clinical risk factors associated with the development of CD in children with PCD.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective cohort study included 67 children diagnosed with PCD.
- Follow-up duration was up to 53 months.
- Hazard ratios (HR) were used to assess associations between baseline characteristics and CD development.
Main Results:
- 19% of children with PCD progressed to CD within a median of 30 months.
- Tissue transglutaminase IgA (tTG-IgA) levels fluctuated in 35.8% and normalized in 46.2%.
- Autoimmune disease (HR=17.7) and increased age at diagnosis (HR=1.3) were significant risk factors for CD progression.
Conclusions:
- A small proportion of children with PCD develop CD.
- Older age and co-existing autoimmune diseases increase the risk of villous atrophy.
- Monitoring tTG-IgA trends can aid in managing children with PCD.
Related Concept Videos
01:17Chronic Bowel Disorders: Introduction
Chronic bowel diseases are a group of long-term conditions affecting the digestive tract, characterized by inflammation and damage to the gut lining. These conditions primarily include irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. The distinctive feature is recurrent abdominal pain associated with altered bowel movements, manifesting as constipation, diarrhea, or fluctuating between both. The...
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. The distinctive feature is recurrent abdominal pain associated with altered bowel movements, manifesting as constipation, diarrhea, or fluctuating between both. The...
01:22Pathophysiology of Vomiting
Vomiting is a complex physiological response to expel harmful or irritating substances from the body. It's a defensive mechanism triggered by stimuli like poisons, microbial toxins, cytotoxic drugs, and mechanical abdominal distension. The process is centrally coordinated by the vomiting (or emetic) center located in the medulla of the brainstem. This area, rich in muscarinic M1, histamine H1, neurokinin 1 (NK1), and serotonin 5-HT3 receptors, coordinates the act of vomiting through interaction...
01:30Esophageal Strictures-I: Introduction
Esophageal strictures involve abnormal narrowing or tightening of the esophagus. They vary in length and severity, ranging from mild constriction to complete obstruction, and are classified as benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
Etiology
The primary cause of esophageal strictures is long-standing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), accounting for about 70 to 80% of adult cases. Chronic acid reflux can lead to injury and scarring of the esophageal lining, culminating in...
Etiology
The primary cause of esophageal strictures is long-standing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), accounting for about 70 to 80% of adult cases. Chronic acid reflux can lead to injury and scarring of the esophageal lining, culminating in...
01:27Peptic Ulcer
Peptic ulcers are erosive lesions of the gastric or duodenal lining, most commonly caused by Helicobacter pylori infection. This Gram-negative, helical bacterium has adapted to survive the stomach’s acidic environment by producing urease, which converts urea into ammonia and carbon dioxide. The ammonia neutralizes gastric acid in the bacterium’s immediate environment, allowing colonization of the gastric mucosa. H. pylori attaches to mucus-secreting epithelial cells, penetrates the mucus...
01:26Gastritis II: Pathophysiology
The pathophysiology of gastritis begins with the colonization of the stomach lining by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). This bacterium spreads mainly via the oral-oral route through saliva or shared utensils, and can also be transmitted in overcrowded or unhygienic environments through contaminated water, despite its brief survival outside the body.ColonizationOnce ingested, H. pylori enters the stomach and begins colonization by navigating through the mucus layer lining the stomach wall. It...
01:11Pyloric Obstruction
Pyloric obstruction, also referred to as gastric outlet obstruction, is a condition characterized by narrowing or blockage at the pylorus—the muscular valve regulating the flow of stomach contents into the duodenum. When this passage becomes impaired, the stomach cannot effectively empty its contents into the small intestine. This disruption leads to a range of gastrointestinal symptoms, including early satiety, bloating, epigastric pain, postprandial nausea, persistent vomiting, and...