Dimitrios Tapsas1, Elisabet Hollén2, Lars Stenhammar3, Karin Fälth-Magnusson4. 1. Division of Pediatrics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. Electronic address: dimta624@student.liu.se. 2. Division of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. 3. Division of Pediatrics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Department of Pediatrics, Linköping University, Norrköping, Sweden; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Norrköping, Sweden. 4. Division of Pediatrics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Department of Pediatrics, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The features of paediatric coeliac disease have changed in recent decades. We hypothesised that the age at diagnosis might continue to increase, whereas the severity of symptoms should decrease. METHODS: In the present study, filed data on 1030 paediatric patients diagnosed with coeliac disease between 1973 and 2013 were analysed. The information available covered 99.8% of small bowel biopsies and included information on sex, age and clinical symptoms. RESULTS: The age at diagnosis increased significantly, from a mean of 2.2 years during the first 10 years to 8.2 years in recent years. The proportion of children with severe symptoms declined from 92.8% to 78%, as did the proportion of biopsies characterised by severe pathology. In recent years, the monosymptomatic form of coeliac disease has been more common, and the number of patients detected at screening has increased. The frequency of patients with gastrointestinal symptoms, extra-intestinal symptoms, and failure to thrive and/or short stature at presentation decreased. CONCLUSIONS: The mean age of newly diagnosed patients has increased over the last 15 years. Currently, coeliac disease shows a less severe picture in terms of symptoms and intestinal pathology. Younger children suffer primarily from gastrointestinal symptoms and growth failure, and adolescents from extra-intestinal manifestations.
BACKGROUND: The features of paediatric coeliac disease have changed in recent decades. We hypothesised that the age at diagnosis might continue to increase, whereas the severity of symptoms should decrease. METHODS: In the present study, filed data on 1030 paediatric patients diagnosed with coeliac disease between 1973 and 2013 were analysed. The information available covered 99.8% of small bowel biopsies and included information on sex, age and clinical symptoms. RESULTS: The age at diagnosis increased significantly, from a mean of 2.2 years during the first 10 years to 8.2 years in recent years. The proportion of children with severe symptoms declined from 92.8% to 78%, as did the proportion of biopsies characterised by severe pathology. In recent years, the monosymptomatic form of coeliac disease has been more common, and the number of patients detected at screening has increased. The frequency of patients with gastrointestinal symptoms, extra-intestinal symptoms, and failure to thrive and/or short stature at presentation decreased. CONCLUSIONS: The mean age of newly diagnosed patients has increased over the last 15 years. Currently, coeliac disease shows a less severe picture in terms of symptoms and intestinal pathology. Younger children suffer primarily from gastrointestinal symptoms and growth failure, and adolescents from extra-intestinal manifestations.
Authors: Allie B Cichewicz; Elizabeth S Mearns; Aliki Taylor; Talia Boulanger; Michele Gerber; Daniel A Leffler; Jennifer Drahos; David S Sanders; Kelly J Thomas Craig; Benjamin Lebwohl Journal: Dig Dis Sci Date: 2019-03-01 Impact factor: 3.199
Authors: Anna Rita Di Biase; Giovanni Marasco; Federico Ravaioli; Luigi Colecchia; Elton Dajti; Marco Lecis; Erica Passini; Luigina Vanessa Alemanni; Davide Festi; Lorenzo Iughetti; Antonio Colecchia Journal: Nutrients Date: 2021-11-18 Impact factor: 5.717