Upper gastrointestinal endoscopic findings in celiac disease at diagnosis: A multicenter international retrospective study
Juan P. Stefanolo, Fabiana Zingone, Carolina Gizzi, Ilaria Marsilio, María Luján Espinet, Edgardo Smecuol, Mark Khaouli, María Laura Moreno, María Inés Pinto-Sánchez, Sonia I. Niveloni, Elena F. Verdú, Carolina Ciacci, Julio C. Bai
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Gastroduodenal endoscopy and biopsy following positive specific serology is considered the gold standard to diagnose celiac disease (CeD) in adults. Whether upper endoscopy helps detect comorbid conditions is unknown. AIM: To investigate the prevalence of non-celiac endoscopic findings in patients in whom endoscopy was performed to confirm CeD diagnosis. METHODS: This is an observational, descriptive, multicenter, retrospective study that reports endoscopic findings obtained in adult patients enrolled in local registries from four tertiary centers. We collected data reported on first endoscopy, indicated for investigation of CeD. Diagnosis of CeD was performed by histology (≥ Marsh 2 type mucosal damage) and specific serology. Two European and one North American center included biopsy-confirmed CeD following positive serology. A fourth center (South America) included symptomatic patients undergoing endoscopy, irrespective of CeD serology. The latter cohort included a non-CeD control group. RESULTS: < 0.02). CONCLUSION: In this large multicenter study, young adults with positive CeD serology had few comorbid endoscopic findings. Although patients over 51 years had a high prevalence of non-CeD gastroduodenal mucosal damage, no malignancy or premalignant lesions were found.