The Prevalence of Celiac Disease in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus

Aim: To determine the prevalence of celiac disease related autoantibodies in patients with type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), and to compare these results with the general population. Methods: In total, 137 consecutive patients with type 1 DM, 172 with type 2 DM and 113 age-sex matched control subjects were included into the study. Antigliadin-autoantibodies (AGA) IgG and IgA, and endomysial-antibodies (EMA) IgG and IgA antibodies were determined. Patients who were positive for one or more were offered a gastroduodenoscopic examination. Results: AGA IgG positivity was detected in 38.7% (53/137) patients with type 1 DM in 26.2% (45/172) patients with type 2 DM and in 16.8% (19/113) control subjects (significant differences). AGA IgA positivity was detected in 24.8% (34/137) patients with type 1 DM, in 9.3% (16/172) patients with type 2 DM and in 3.5% (4/113) control subjects (significant differences). EMA IgG positivity was detected in 10.2% (14/13 7) patients with type 1 DM in 0.6% (1/176) patients with type 2 DM and 0.9% (1/113) control subjects (significant differences). EMA IgA positivity was detected in 11.7% (16/137) patients with type 1 DM in 0.6% (1/172) patients with type 2 DM and in none of control subjects. EMA IgA positivity was sig- nificantly higher in patients with type 1 DM as compared with patients with type 2 DM and controls. Conclusions: High prevalence of celiac disease at the diagnosis of type 1 DM is observed. Serological markers are useful for identi- fying celiac disease patients with type 1 DM.