Abstract
Eighty-seven children with short stature (height more than 2 SD below the mean for age and sex) were investigated by small intestinal biopsy. There was no obvious reason for their growth retardation found by routine examination and they had no gastrointestinal symptoms. Coeliac disease was found in two children and probable coeliac disease in two children. Although the prevalence of coeliac disease was comparatively low in this study of Swedish children with short stature, it emphasizes the fact that coeliac disease must be considered in a child with short stature even in the absence of gastrointestinal symptoms.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alexander JO (1975) Dermatitis herpetiformis. In: Rook A (ed) Major problems in dermatology, vol 4. Saunders Co Ltd, London Philadelphia Toronto, p 236
Cacciari E, Salardi S, Lazzari R (1983) Short stature and celiac diasease: a relationship to consider even in patients with no gastrointestinal tract symptoms. J Pediatr 103:708–711
Cacciari E, Salardi S, Volta U (1985) Can antigliadin antibody detect symptomless coeliac disease in children with short stature? Lancet I:1469–1471
Gertner JM, Genel M, Gianfredi SP (1984) Prospective clinical trial of human growth hormone in short children without growth hormone deficiency. J Pediatr 104:172–176
Gilchrist N, Espiner EA, Cook HB (1983) Familial short stature and coeliac disease: a family case report. N Z Med J 96:563–565
Groll A, Candy DCA, Preece MA, Tanner JM, Harries JT (1980) Short stature as the primary manifestation of coeliac disease. Lancet II:1097–1099
Kowarski AA, Schneider J, Ben-Galim E, Weldon VV, Daughaday WH (1978) Growth failure with normal serum RIA-GH and low somatomedin restoration and growth acceleration after exogenous GH. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 47:461–464
Lecornu M, David L, François R (1978) Low serum somatomedin activity in celiac disease. Helv Paediatr Acta 33:509–516
Lucas AR (1983) Undernutrition and growth. N Engl J Med 309:550–551
McNeish AS, Harms HK, Rey J, Shmerling DH, Visakorpi JK, Walker-Smith JA (1979) The diagnosis of coeliac disease. Arch Dis Child 54:783–786
Perera DR, Weinstein WM, Rubin CE (1975) Small intestinal biopsy. Hum Pathol 6:157–217
Rosenthal SR, Snyder JD, Hendricks KM, Walker WA (1983) Growth failure and injlammatory bowel disease: approach to treatment of a complicated adolescent problem. Pediatrics 72: 481–490
Rudman D, Kutner MH, Blackston RD, Cushman RA, Bain BP, Patterson JH (1981) Children with normal-variant short stature: treatment with human growth hormone for six months. N Engl J Med 305:123–131
Stenhammar L, Kilander AF, Nilsson LÅ, Strömberg L, Tarkowski A (1984) Serum gliadin antibodies for detection and control of childhood coeliac disease. Acta Paediatr Scand 73:657–663
Underwood LE (1984) Growth hormone treatment for short children. J Pediatr 104:237–239
Underwood LE, Fisher DA, Frasier SD (1983) Growth hormone in the treatment of children with short stature. Pediatrics 72:891–894
Vanderscheuren-Lodeweyckx M, Wolter R, Molla A, (1973) Plasma growth hormone in coeliac disease. Helv Paediatr Acta 28:349–357
Van Vliet G, Styne DM, Kaplan SL, Grumbach MM (1983) Growth hormone treatment for short stature. N Engl J Med 309: 1016–1022
Verkasalo M, Kuitunen P, Leisti S, Perheentupa J (1978) Growth failure from symptomless celiac disease. Helv Paediatr Acta 33: 489–495
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Stenhammar, L., Fällström, S.P., Jansson, G. et al. Coeliac disease in children of short stature without gastrointestinal symptoms. Eur J Pediatr 145, 185–186 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00446061
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00446061