Screening for coeliac disease in preschool Greek children: the feasibility study of a community-based project.
Title | Screening for coeliac disease in preschool Greek children: the feasibility study of a community-based project. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2013 |
Authors | Karagiozoglou-Lampoudi, T., Zellos A., Vlahavas G., Kafritsa Y., Roma E., Papadopoulou A., Fotoulaki M., Karyda S., Xinias I., & Savvidou A. |
Journal | Acta Paediatr |
Volume | 102 |
Issue | 7 |
Pagination | 749-54 |
Date Published | 2013 Jul |
ISSN | 1651-2227 |
Keywords | Celiac Disease, Child, Child, Preschool, Community-Based Participatory Research, Feasibility Studies, Female, Greece, GTP-Binding Proteins, Humans, Immunoglobulin A, Male, Mass Screening, Pilot Projects, Prevalence, Transglutaminases |
Abstract | AIM: Evaluation of the prevalence of coeliac disease (CD) in Greek paediatric population.METHODS: The project consists of two parts: (i) a pilot study of preschool children aged 2-6 years to test the feasibility and diagnostic accuracy of community-based screening and (ii) a CD prevalence study, by random clustered sampling and proportionate stratification of various geographical areas in Greece. Trained nonmedical staff performed a rapid immunochromatographic test to detect IgA antibodies to tTG-IgA and IgA deficiency. Toddlers with positive results were referred to a paediatric gastroenterologist for further assessment with serum anti-tTG IgA and EMA-IgA. Children with positive serum anti-tTG and anti-EMA underwent upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy and small bowel biopsy and were subsequently in gluten-free diet.RESULTS: In this project participated 1136 toddlers, who were tested at school. The prevalence of positive rapid anti-tTG screening was 1:154, of IgA deficiency 1:120 and of biopsy-proven CD 1:154. The prevalence of CD from this pilot study served as expected prevalence value for sample size calculation for the main prevalence study.CONCLUSION: This protocol using rapid immunochromatographic test for the detection of both IgA deficiency and CD is easy to be performed by nonmedical staff in a community setting, enabling the accurate identification of new CD cases among asymptomatic population. |
DOI | 10.1111/apa.12241 |
Alternate Journal | Acta Paediatr. |
PubMed ID | 23600795 |