INTAKES OF NUTRIENTS AND NUTRITIONAL-STATUS IN CELIAC PATIENTS

Background: The intake of nutrients and the nutritional status of untr eated coeliac patients and coeliac patients in remission were investig ated at Kuopio University Hospital. Methods: Forty untreated and 52 co eliac patients in remission were admitted to the study. The control gr oup included 77 persons. Four-day food records, anthropometric measure ments, and blood biochemistry were examined to obtain nutrient intake and nutritional status. Results: Concentrations of serum ferritin, vit amin B-12, and erythrocyte folate were lower in patients with untreate d coeliac disease than in those in remission. Altogether, 15-38% of th e untreated patients but only 0-20% of the patients in remission had l evels of haemoglobin, serum ferritin, iron, vitamin B-12, or erythrocy te folate below the reference values. No difference in anthropometric measurements was found between the two groups of coeliac patients. Con clusions: Except for some subclinical abnormal values in biochemical a nalyses in 20-38% of coeliac patients, nutritional status was quite no rmal in both groups of coeliac patients.