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World J Gastroenterol. Mar 14, 2007; 13(10): 1599-1601
Published online Mar 14, 2007. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i10.1599
Prevalence of coeliac disease in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis in a Turkish population
Sefa Guliter, Fahri Yakaryilmaz, Zubeyde Ozkurt, Reyhan Ersoy, Derya Ucardag, Osman Caglayan, Pınar Atasoy
Sefa Guliter, Fahri Yakaryilmaz, Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kirikkale University Faculty of Medicine, Kirikkale, Turkey
Zubeyde Ozkurt, Department of Internal Medicine, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Turkey
Reyhan Ersoy, Department of Endocrinology, Ankara Ataturk Education Hospital, Ministry of Health, Ankara, Turkey
Derya Ucardag, Department of Internal Medicine, Kirikkale University Faculty of Medicine, Kirikkale, Turkey
Osman Caglayan, Department of Biochemistry, Kirikkale University Faculty of Medicine, Kirikkale, Turkey
Pınar Atasoy, Department of Pathology, Kirikkale University Faculty of Medicine, Kirikkale, Turkey
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Sefa Guliter, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Kirikkale University Faculty of Medicine, Emek Mah 78 Sokak 3/8, Ankara, 06510, Turkey. sguliter@yahoo.com
Telephone: +90-312-2225621 Fax: +90-318-2244697
Received: December 13, 2006
Revised: January 5, 2006
Accepted: February 9, 2007
Published online: March 14, 2007
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the prevalence of coeliac disease in a series of Turkish patients with autoimmune thyroiditis.

METHODS: Sera from 136 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed autoimmune thyroiditis and 119 healthy blood donors were tested for IgA tissue transglutaminase antibody with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Endoscopic mucosal biopsy from the second part of duodenum was performed in patients with positive antibody test.

RESULTS: Eight patients (5.9%) and one control subject (0.8%) were positive for IgA tissue transglutaminase antibody (OR: 7.38, 95% CI: 0.91-59.85, P = 0.04). Six patients and one control agreed to take biopsies. Histopathological examination revealed changes classified as Marsh IIIa in one, Marsh II in one, MarshI in two, and Marsh 0 in two patients with autoimmune throiditis, and MarshIin one blood donor.

CONCLUSION: Turkish patients with autoimmune thyroiditis have an increased risk of coeliac disease and serological screening may be useful for early detection of coeliac disease in these patients. Our findings need to be confirmed in a larger series of patients.

Keywords: Coeliac disease; Autoimmune thyroiditis; Tissue transglutaminase