Short children with impaired growth hormone secretion. Do they have celiac disease?

Celiac disease - a pluripathological model in pediatric practice

Being defined as an autoimmune, chronic pathology, frequently encountered in any age group, but especially in pediatrics, celiac disease (also called gluten enteropathy), is gaining more and more ground in terms of diagnosis, but also interest in research. The data from the literature of the last decades attest the chameleonic way of its presentation, there may be both classic onset symptoms and atypical symptoms. Given the impact played by celiac disease, especially in the optimal growth and development of children, the current narrative review aims to highlight the atypical presentation methods, intended to guide the clinician towards the inclusion of the pathology in the differential diagnosis scheme. To these we add the summary presentation of the general data and therapeutic lines regarding the underlying condition and the existing comorbidities. In order to place the related information up to date, we performed a literature review of the recent articles published in international databases. We bring forward the current theories and approaches regarding both classic celiac disease and its atypical manifestations. Among these we note mainly constitutional, skin or mucous, bone, neuro-psychic, renal, reproductive injuries, but also disorders of biological constants and association with multiple autoimmunities. Knowing and correlating them with celiac disease is the key to optimal management of patients, thus reducing the subsequent burden of the disease.

A prospective study of catch-up growth among Indian children with celiac disease

OBJECTIVES

The study was done to investigate the response of the gluten-free diet (GFD) on growth and other biochemical parameters in newly diagnosed children with celiac disease (CD). We also determined the association of Marsh biopsy classification and the response in haematological parameters among the children with GFD over the follow-up time.

METHODS

A prospective observational study was conducted for 1.5 years where children aged 1-10 years with newly confirmed CD (as per Marsh classification) without pre-existing chronic disease were enrolled. Individual anthropometry, biochemical and haematological parameters were recorded on enrolment and compared with 1, 3 and 6 months (follow-up) after initiating GFD (as per World Health Organization growth charts).

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

The data were entered in MS Excel spreadsheet and analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 21.0. A P value of < 0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

A total of 51 (out of 55) children with CD completed 6-month follow-up. A significant improvement in the growth and biochemical parameters was seen at 6-month follow-up with the GFD (P < 0.05). There was a significantly decreasing Hb (at enrolment and at 3 months) with increasing Marsh biopsy grade-it was significantly less with Marsh 3C and more with Marsh 3A. A significantly better %Hb improvement was seen in children with Marsh biopsy 3C as compared to 3A and 3B (P < 0.05). We found no significant association of Marsh biopsy with Malabsorption, type of anaemia and Serum ferritin levels (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

GFD showed significant improvement in the growth and development of the child with a significant reduction in anaemia at 6 months. With increasing grade of Marsh biopsy, the severity of anaemia increases but after the initiation of GFD, such children show significantly better improvement in %Hb over time.