Celiac disease in men aged 18—27: new data on prevalence and clinical features

Celiac disease (CD) is a systemic autoimmune disorder caused by gluten intolerance, often remaining undiagnosed due to its oligosymptomatic presentation. Data on the prevalence of CD and its association with other gastrointestinal conditions in men of conscription age are limited. Objective: To evaluate the prevalence, clinical, and serological characteristics of celiac disease in men aged 18—27. Materials and Methods. Between 2017 and 2023, 5.670 conscription-age men were assessed at Buyanov City Clinical Hospital. The study combined retrospective and prospective analysis, with CD diagnosed using clinical symptoms, serological markers (antibodies to gliadin, tissue transglutaminase, and deamidated gliadin peptides), endoscopy, and histology. Results. Duodenal ulcers (65%), inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) (2.9%), and chronic hepatitis (3.7%) were the most common gastrointestinal diseases in young men. Elevated antibodies were found in 22.8% of cases (572/2.500), including anti-gliadin antibodies (AGA) IgA (6.2%), AGA IgG (22.3%), anti-tTG IgA (5.9%), anti-tTG IgG (14.6%), anti-DGP IgA (4.8%), anti-DGP IgG (6.6%). Multiple antibodies were observed in 39.1% of patients. IBD was diagnosed in 170 (2.99%) patients, with serological markers detected in 32.9% (67.8% in ulcerative colitis and 32.1% in Crohn’s disease). Conclusion. CD was identified in a significant proportion of conscription-age men, emphasizing the need for screening in this group. The observed association with IBD requires further investigation. Early diagnosis and a gluten-free diet can prevent complications and improve patients’ quality of life.