[Anti-endomysium antibodies: new serological markers for the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with gluten-sensitive enteropathy. Preliminary study].

Abstract The authors value the parameters of diagnostic efficacy in a preliminary study of anti-endomysium antibodies (EmA), in the diagnostic and follow-up of patients with gluten sensitive enteropathy. The study was made with 84 subjects distributed into four groups. Group I consisted of 21 patients with gluten sensitive enteropathy (GSE) who were eating gluten at the time of diagnosis. Group II consisted of 20 patients with gluten sensitive enteropathy with different periods of time of gluten free diet. Group III consisted of 16 subjects with non-evolutive neuropathies and without intestinal disease. This group was considered as controls. Group IV consisted of 27 patients with toddler diarrhoea. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and efficiency were 100%.