[Celiac disease in adults: clinical aspects--role of endoscopy]. / La maladie coeliaque de l'adulte: aspects cliniques--rôle de l'endoscopie.

Adult coeliac disease has a broad clinical spectrum and remains undetected for years. Among subclinical deficiency states, attributable to coeliac enteropathy, combined iron and folic acid malabsorption is predominant. An unexplained recurrent iron anaemia is an indication for small intestinal biopsy. Gastro-intestinal disorders are present in only 50% of the cases. Coeliac disease is frequently associated with other major histocompatibility complex (MMC)-linked diseases which are mediated by immunological mechanisms: dermatitis herpetiformis, oral ulcerations, IgA nephropathy, rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis. Dermatitis herpetiformis is a useful model for examination of the spectrum of mucosal changes that typify gluten sensitivity and subliminal lesions without villous atrophy. An increased interest is devoted to the intra-epithelial T-lymphocyte population, not only in the small intestine, but at the level of the stomach and the colon. A "rectal challenge" test has been proposed for detecting gluten sensitivity in coeliac patients. Such a test could be an original method of screening, reducing so the need of small intestinal biopsy. The preliminary results are to be confirmed. Until now, jejunoscopy remains mandatory for the diagnosis and the survey of intestinal lesions related to coeliac disease.

[Is jaundice a cause of error in the interpretation of CA 19-9 blood levels?]. / L'ictère est-il une cause d'erreur dans l'interprétation du CA 19-9 sérique?

Serum CA 19-9 has been proposed as a tumour marker for pancreatic cancer (PC). However, false positive results are seen in sera of patients with benign jaundice. The CA 19-9 assay was performed by a solid state radioimmunoassay in 86 icteric patients (total bilirubin greater than 2 mg/dl). 24/86 had PC (12 men, 12 women, mean age 74 years) and 62/86 had benign jaundice (29 men, 33 women, mean age 56 years; cirrhosis: n = 20, angiocholitis: n = 21, hepatitis: n = 21). At a cut-off level of 60 U./ml, for detecting icteric PC, sensitivity was 83%, and specificity was 79%. At 120 U./ml, sensitivity was 79%, but specificity was increased to 92%. We conclude that 21% of patients with benign jaundice had a CA 19-9 level greater than 60 U./ml, and using a CA 19-9 level of 120 U./ml, the specificity of the test to detect icteric PC was increased, with little decrease in the sensitivity.