Changing Patterns of Coeliac Disease in Adults
Author Information
Author(s): Sián Jones, Charles D'Souza, Nadim Y. Haboubi
Primary Institution: Royal Gwent Hospital
Hypothesis
The study aims to evaluate the trends in clinical presentation of patients diagnosed with adult coeliac disease.
Conclusion
Most adults with coeliac disease have a subclinical form of the disease, with iron deficiency anaemia being the sole presenting symptom in many cases.
Supporting Evidence
- Anaemia was the most common mode of presentation, accounting for 66% of patients.
- Less than half of the patients had any classical symptoms of coeliac disease.
- Serology results were 100% sensitive as screening tests for adult coeliac disease.
- 59% of patients had either osteoporosis or osteopenia.
- There were no malignant complications observed during the follow-up of patients.
Takeaway
Many adults with coeliac disease don't show typical symptoms like diarrhea; instead, they might just feel tired or have low iron levels.
Methodology
This is an observational, retrospective, cross-sectional review of the medical notes of 32 adult patients attending a specialist coeliac clinic.
Potential Biases
There may be a risk of selection bias as only patients attending a specialist clinic were included.
Limitations
The study is limited by its small sample size and the retrospective nature of the data collection.
Participant Demographics
The mean age at diagnosis was 53.2 years, with a male to female ratio of 2:3.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.013
Confidence Interval
95% CI 79.3–102.7%
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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