Goal: The research was undertaken with the aim to determine the frequency of positive findings of serological tests for celiac disease of the first relatives of children with celiac disease. Materials and methods: The study included 175 first relatives of 68 children suffering from celiac disease. Of that number, 75 (40 mothers and 26 fathers), 4 sisters and five brothers agreed to be tested for the presence of antibodies to celiac disease. For each subject were done tests on presence of anti-gliadin IgA, IgG antigliadin antibodies and IgA antibodies on tissue transglutaminase in the Polyclinic for Laboratory Diagnostics - Institute for Microbiology-Department of Immunology, University Clinical Centre (UCC) Tuzla. Results: Of 175 first relatives of children with celiac disease 75 consented to serologic screening. Positive anti-gliadin IgG antibodies had 13.3%; anti-gliadin IgA antibodies had 2.6%, whereas antibodies on tissue transglutaminase were positive in 7.5% of respondents. With positive findings of anti-gliadin IgG were only two brothers. Fifteen subjects with positive findings of serological tests for celiac disease were confirmed by diagnosis of small bowel mucosal biopsy in 4%. Conclusion: In our study the incidence of positive serological tests for celiac disease among first relatives of children with celiac disease was 20%. All of our respondents with positive antibody findings had no symptoms that could indicate celiac disease. After establishing the diagnosis of celiac disease in children, it should be mentioned that testing must be done with the first relatives. This would, along with further diagnostic testing discover a significant number of asymptomatic patients and atypical forms of celiac disease..
Key words: Celiac disease, high risk groups, screening
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