Celiac disease seroprevalence in subjects with dyspeptic symptoms. A study on a Mexican population

Introduction and aims

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune enteropathy that develops in genetically susceptible individuals. The typical gastrointestinal manifestation is diarrhea but symptoms of dyspepsia, such as epigastric pain, nausea, or satiety, can sometimes appear. Previous studies have reported that the prevalence of CD in patients with dyspepsia can be as high as 7%. The aim of the present study was to evaluate CD seroprevalence in subjects with dyspeptic symptoms and a control group in a Mexican population.

Material and methods

A case-control study was conducted on blood donors that answered the PAGI-SYM questionnaire for dyspepsia and in whom IgA antibodies to tissue transglutaminase 2 (IgA anti-tTG2) and IgG antibodies to deamidated gliadin peptide (IgG anti-DGP) were determined. CD seroprevalence in subjects with dyspeptic symptoms and in asymptomatic subjects was compared.

Results

A total of 427 subjects (76.3% men), with a mean patient age of 34 years (range of 18–65 years) were included. Of those participants, 87 (20.3%) had symptoms of dyspepsia (group A) and 340 (79.6%) were asymptomatic (group B). Antibodies were positive in one (1.15%) of the group A subjects (1/87, 95% CI 0.2–6 %), whereas they were positive in 4 (1.18%) of the group B subjects (4/340, 95% CI 0.4–2.9%, p = 0.59).

Conclusions

CD seroprevalence in the study population with dyspeptic symptoms (1%) was not different from that of the control population. Thus, CD screening in Mexican patients with dyspepsia is not justified.