Aim: To estimate prevalence of gluten celiac disease (GCD) in Nizhny Novgorod region by the data of examination of patients from high risk group. MATERIAL AND METHODS. Outpatient examination was made in 41245 outpatients. GCD risk groups included patients with chronic diarrhea and other manifestations of enteropathy, iron deficiency anemia of unclear genesis, with autoimmune disorders, skin diseases associated with GD, women with reproductive dysfunction of unclear genesis, persons with low body mass, close relatives of GCD patients. All the patients were examined conventionally. Antiglutenic antibodies (AGA) and/or antibodies to tissue transglutaminase (AB TTG) in IgA and IgG were determined and morphological tests of duodenal mucosa were made in patients at high risk of GC.
Results: Out of 41245 examinees 2364 (5.7%) were expected to have CD. Immunological tests were performed in 1045 risk group patients. Of them, 251 patients had elevated titers of AGA and/or AB TTG. Histological examination discovered GCD signs in 210 patients with positive AGA and/or AB TTG and in 101 patients who were not examined immunologically. GCD was detected in 311 (13.1%) patients included in risk groups.
Conclusion: Prevalence of CD in adults with risk factors is 1:7.6, in outpatients--1:133. For active GCD screening in risk groups blood tests for AGA and AB TTG should be made. Those with a high titer of these antibodies and patients with chronic diarrhea and malabsorption should undergo biopsy material taken from the duodenum in esophagogastroduodenoscopy.