ABSTRACT
Background: The detection of anti-transglutaminase IgA (tTG) and anti-endomysial (EMA) is used for screening of celiac disease (CD) with a sensitivity and specificity of 90 and 99% respectively. There is an association between CD and connective tissue diseases (CTD). Aim: To report the frequency of IgA tTG and EMA in patients with a definite diagnosis of CTD and inflammatory arthropathies (IA). Material and Methods: One hundred forty nine patients, aged 19 to 86 years (133 females) with CTD and IA were studied. tTG were determined by ELISA and EMA by indirect immunofluorescence. Results: Eight participants had at least one positive antibody (5.4%, confidence intervals (CI) = 1.8-9), six had both (4.0% CI = 0.9-7.2) and two had only tTG positive. An intestinal biopsy was performed in four of these participants, finding a marked villous atrophy in three and partial atrophy in one. Conclusions: Five percent of this group of patients with CTD or IA had positive antibodies for CD.
Subject(s)
Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic/blood , Arthritis/complications , Celiac Disease/diagnosis , Connective Tissue Diseases/immunology , Transglutaminases/immunology , Celiac Disease/complications , Cross-Sectional Studies , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect , Immunoglobulin A/blood , Sensitivity and SpecificityABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The detection of anti-transglutaminase IgA (tTG) and anti-endomysial (EMA) is used for screening of celiac disease (CD) with a sensitivity and specificity of 90 and 99% respectively. There is an association between CD and connective tissue diseases (CTD). AIM: To report the frequency of IgA tTG and EMA in patients with a definite diagnosis of CTD and inflammatory arthropathies (IA). MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred forty nine patients, aged 19 to 86 years (133 females) with CTD and IA were studied. tTG were determined by ELISA and EMA by indirect immunofluorescence. RESULTS: Eight participants had at least one positive antibody (5.4%, confidence intervals (CI) = 1.8-9), six had both (4.0% CI = 0.9-7.2) and two had only tTG positive. An intestinal biopsy was performed in four of these participants, finding a marked villous atrophy in three and partial atrophy in one. CONCLUSIONS: Five percent of this group of patients with CTD or IA had positive antibodies for CD.