Is it necessary to screen for celiac disease in all children with intussusception?

Objective: While there is a close relationship between celiac disease (CD) and intussusception, it is not yet clear whether the detection of intussusception in children requires physicians to always screen for CD. In our study, we aimed to determine the frequency of CD in children with intussusception and to find the answer to whether CD screening is necessary for every child with intussusception. Methods: The study included 50 symptomatic pediatric patients diagnosed with intussusception who were followed up and treated in the Health Sciences University Gülhane Training and Research Hospital Pediatric Surgery Clinic between 2020–2023. CD screening was performed in patients followed up with a diagnosis of intussusception. Results: The mean age of the patients was 3.61 ± 2.02 years, and 33 (66%) were male. Of 62 intussusceptions observed in 50 patients, 46.8% were ileo-ileal, 35.5% ileo-colic, 11.3% jejeno-jejunal, 4.8% colo-colic, and 1.6% recto-sigmoid. CD was diagnosed endoscopically in three (6%) patients with an intussusception diagnosis and an anti-tissue transglutaminase level > 200 IU/ml. Intussusceptions in 43.5% of the patients were reduced by hydrostatic reduction, 41.9% spontaneously, 9.7% laparotomically, and 4.8% laparoscopically. A single intussusception attack occurred in 82% of patients; 14% had two, 2% had three, and 2% had four. No significant correlation was found between the number of intussusception attacks and the presence of CD (p = 0.34). There was also no relationship between the type of intussusception and age (p = 0.74), gender (p = 0.24), or treatment (p = 0.12) or between the presence of CD and gender (p = 0.26), age (p = 0.68), or type (p = 0.28) of intussusception. Conclusions: CD is more common in symptomatic children with intussusception than in healthy children. Screening pediatric patients with idiopathic intussusception for CD may reduce the recurrence of intussusception and complications and morbidities that may occur due to a delayed CD diagnosis.