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Prevalence and Demographic Characteristics of Celiac Disease Among Blood Donors in Ribeirão Preto, State of São Paulo, Brazil

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Abstract

Celiac disease (CD) is an underdiagnosed disease occurring in different clinical forms. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of CD among blood donors from Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, and to study some demographic characteristics of celiac patients. Blood samples from 3000 blood donors were tested for the presence of tissue transglutaminase antibody and positive samples were tested for endomysial antibody. Donors positive to both tests were referred for clinical evaluation and for a jejunal biopsy. Twenty-four samples were moderately/strongly positive for transglutaminase, with 9 of them being endomysial negative and 15 positive. Of the 13 biopsies obtained from 12 females and 1 male, 1 was classified as Marsh grade IV, 4 as grade III, 2 as grade II, 4 as grade I, and 2 as grade 0. Estimated prevalence was therefore 1:273 (0.33%; 95% CI, 0.127 to 0.539). The 1:273 estimated prevalence of CD detected indicates that the disease is not rare in Brazil. The frequency was higher among females and among individuals of European descent, with a significantly higher frequency for a family history of digestive tract cancer or epilepsy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil

    Suzeidi Bernardo Castanheira Melo MD, Maria Inez Machado Fernandes MSc & Livia Carvalho Galvão MD, PhD

  2. Departments of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil

    Luiz Cesar Peres MD, PhD

  3. Departments of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil

    Luiz Ernesto Almeida Troncon MD, PhD

  4. Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900, 14049–900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil

    Livia Carvalho Galvão MD, PhD

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  1. Suzeidi Bernardo Castanheira Melo MD
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  2. Maria Inez Machado Fernandes MSc
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  3. Luiz Cesar Peres MD, PhD
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  4. Luiz Ernesto Almeida Troncon MD, PhD
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  5. Livia Carvalho Galvão MD, PhD
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Correspondence to Livia Carvalho Galvão MD, PhD.

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Melo, S.B.C., Fernandes, M.I.M., Peres, L.C. et al. Prevalence and Demographic Characteristics of Celiac Disease Among Blood Donors in Ribeirão Preto, State of São Paulo, Brazil. Dig Dis Sci 51, 1020–1025 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-006-9340-9

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