Prevalence of antigliadin and antiendomyseal antivodies in adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Several studies have shown a higher prevalence of celiac disease and elevation of serum antigliadin antibody (AGA) and antiendomysial antibody (AEA) in patients with diabetes mellitus type 1. But there is scant data of the prevalence of celiac disease in Iranian patients with type 1 diabetes. In a prospective, case-control study, 80 consecutive patients with type 1 diabetes referred to endocrine clinic of Imam Khomeini hospital, in a two-year period, between March, 2000 and March 2001, were enrolled as cases. 80 age and sex matched nondiabetic patients, who had referred to the Clinic of Internal Medicine of the same hospital at the same period were included in control group. Blood levels of AGA-IgA and AEA-IgA were measured in all patients and patients with elevation of these antibodies underwent a duodenal biopsy. From 80 patients in the case group, 3 patients (3.8%) had an elevation in both AGA and AEA, while none of the controls had elevation in either AGA or AEA. Duodenal biopsy in two of three cases who had elevated AEA and AGA revealed subtotal villous atrophy indicating celiac disease, and in the other case, changes were nonspecific. Prevalence of celiac disease in our study is similar to others, emphasizing the importance of screening with AGA and AEA in patients with type 1 diabetes.