ENDOMYSIAL ANTIBODY SCREENING IN CHILDREN

It has been suggested that endomysial antibodies are specific markers for coeliac disease. In a 13-month study, we examined the usefulness of screening for these antibodies in the diagnosis of coeliac disease in children. Twenty-one of 223 (9.4%) serum samples [or 17 of 192 (9%) children undergoing investigation for GI disorders] were found to be positive for serum IgA class endomysial antibodies. These included eight strong positives, eight positives, and five weak positives. One-hundred-thirty-four children had small bowel biopsies performed. Endomysial antibodies were found in all children with severe villous atrophy on a gluten-containing diet who were diagnosed as having coeliac disease. Three children with positive and four with weak-positive results did not have coeliac disease. One had partial villous atrophy consistent with the diagnosis of cow-milk-sensitive enteropathy and the others had a normal small bowel mucosa. This study confirms a strong association between endomysial antibodies and coeliac disease; however, not all cases with positive antibodies had the disease. At the present time, small bowel biopsy remains essential for the diagnosis of coeliac disease.