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Celiac disease more prevalent in children with IBS
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Screening for celiac disease in pediatric primary care was warranted for patients with irritable bowel syndrome but not for children with other functional gastrointestinal disorders, according to new research.
Investigators in a 6-year (2006-20131) prospective cohort study in southern Italy assessed the prevalence of celiac disease (CD) in 992 children (42.8% male; median age, 6.8 years) with abdominal pain-related disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), indigestion and functional abdominal pain. After screening, the study group (n=782) included 270 with IBS, 201 with indigestion and 311 with functional abdominal pain.
Blood tests revealed that 15 (1.9%) of the children had CD, 12 (4.4%) had IBS, 2 (1%) had indigestion and 1 (0.4%) had functional abdominal pain. Compared to the general pediatric population, the prevalence of CD among children with IBS was four times higher (OR 4.19; 95% CI 2.03-8.49).
“The identification of IBS as a high-risk condition for celiac disease might be of help in pediatric primary care because it might have become routine to test for celiac disease indiscriminately in all children with recurrent abdominal pain,” the study authors wrote. “This new approach might have important implications for the cost of care because it has been estimated that in children with [functional gastrointestinal disorders], screening tests are common, costs are substantial, and the yield is minimal.”
Disclosure: The study authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
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