The Global Burden of Childhood Coeliac Disease: A Neglected Component of Diarrhoeal Mortality?
2011

The Global Burden of Childhood Coeliac Disease

publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Peter Byass, Kathleen Kahn, Anneli Ivarsson

Primary Institution: Umeå Centre for Global Health Research, Umeå University, Sweden

Hypothesis

What is the global burden of coeliac disease in childhood?

Conclusion

Coeliac disease may account for a small proportion of diarrhoeal mortality, but it is a significant problem that requires attention, especially in children with chronic diarrhoea and malnutrition.

Supporting Evidence

  • In 2010, around 2.2 million children under 5 years of age were estimated to have coeliac disease.
  • Approximately 42,000 deaths related to coeliac disease occur annually among these children.
  • Coeliac disease accounted for about 4% of all childhood diarrhoeal mortality in 2008.

Takeaway

Many kids around the world might have a disease called coeliac disease that makes them sick when they eat certain foods, and this can lead to a lot of deaths if not treated properly.

Methodology

A model was built using estimates of population prevalence, probability of non-diagnosis, and likelihood of mortality among undiagnosed children from 1970 to 2010.

Potential Biases

Assumptions made in the model could be contested, leading to potential biases in the estimates.

Limitations

The model relies on several assumptions due to the lack of comprehensive global data on coeliac disease prevalence and diagnosis.

Participant Demographics

Children under 5 years of age globally.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0022774

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