Evaluation of suspected coeliac disease in Maltese children, 1983-1986

Abstract

The clinical records of 43 Maltese children with clinical manifestations of malabsorption, suspected of having coeliac disease, are reviewed. Common features at presentation were diarrhoea, steatorrhoea, vomiting, irritability, failure to thrive, and abdominal distension. Ten children never had a jejunal biopsy. Of 24 biopsies performed at presentation 14 showed villous atrophy. In the remaining 10 biopsies and in 7 others taken from children already on a gluten free diet (GFD) the villous architecture was preserved. There were no clinical features which distinguished children with villous atrophy. As jejunal biopsy is now available in our Paediatric Department we recommend that children should not be started on a GFD prior to referral for further evaluation.