DOWN-SYNDROME AND CELIAC-DISEASE

Down syndrome is associated with immune-related disorders such as hypo thyroidism, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, and celiac disease. I n this study we determined antigliadin antibodies (AGA) in 54 patients with Down syndrome; 22 had AGA values above the cutoff limit. Ninetee n patients underwent intestinal biopsy, and total or subtotal villous atrophy was found in nine. There was a total of 65 patients with Down syn drome in our area of southern Sweden; two were already known to ha ve celiac disease. The minimum prevalence of celiac disease in Down sy ndrome in this area in southern Sweden was 11 of 65 or 16.9%.