Are immunoglobulin A anti-gliadin antibodies helpful in diagnosing coeliac disease in children younger than 2 years?

J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2012 Jan;54(1):110-2. doi: 10.1097/MPG.0b013e31823255c9.

Abstract

The usefulness of immumoglobulin (Ig) A antibodies to gliadin (AGA-IgA) in addition to IgA anti-endomysium and tissue transglutaminase antibodies was evaluated in 4122 children younger than 2 years with a suspicion of coeliac disease (CD). Eight percent (312/4122) displayed IgA anti-endomysium and/or IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase, whereas 2.1% (85/4122) displayed only AGA-IgA. Clinical data were obtained for 62 of 85 children with isolated AGA-IgA, and 33 children underwent a duodenal biopsy. Histologically proven CD was established for 5 patients, whereas 57 children were diagnosed to experience other diseases. The systematic detection of AGA-IgA using native gliadin conferred no additional diagnostic benefit for the diagnosis of CD in children younger than 2 years of age, except for rare cases.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / blood*
  • Biopsy
  • Celiac Disease / diagnosis*
  • Celiac Disease / epidemiology
  • Celiac Disease / immunology
  • Child, Preschool
  • Duodenum / pathology
  • Female
  • Gliadin / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin A / blood*
  • Incidence
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Transglutaminases / immunology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic
  • Immunoglobulin A
  • anti-IgA
  • Gliadin
  • Transglutaminases