Introduction:

celiac disease is a chronic pathology that often presents the first symptoms in childhood. Diagnoses of celiac disease have increased in recent years, while it has reduced the age at which they are performed.

Methods:

102 patients with celiac disease controlled in a tertiary hospital. Descriptive study of personal history, epidemiology, symptoms and diagnosis.

Results:

41.4% were male and 58.6% female, most of Caucasians (94.1%). 9.8% had at least one first-degree relative celiac, and 6.9% in second degree. The average age at diagnosis is 42.8±35.9 months. 89.2% had symptoms at the moment of diagnosis, while the remaining 10.8% was obtained in the diagnosis of celiac disease screening to present other associated pathology. Common symptoms: weight loss (58%), diarrhea (52%), lack of appetite (40%), abdominal distension (24%), alteration of the character (15%), malabsorptive habit (13%) and abdominal pain (12%). Serological study: 95% positive transglutaminase antibodies, 85.2% positive endomysial antibodies, 88.4% positive anti-gliadin IgG antibodies. HLA study: 97% DQ2, DQ8 2%. Duodenal biopsy was performed to 62.8% (3% Marsh I, 5% Marsh II, 17% IIa Marsh, 17% Marsh IIIb, 58% IIIc Marsh).

Conclusions:

Increased knowledge about celiac disease among general pediatricians may have influenced the low average age at diagnosis in our sample. The application of diagnostic criteria ESPGHAN 2012 have allowed a significant number diagnoses patients without performing a biopsy.

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