SEROPREVALENCE OF CELIAC DISEASE IN CHILDREN WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES MELLITUS SCREENED BY ANTI-TISSUE TRANSGLUTAMINASE ANTIBODY IN KARBALA

Background: Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder that occurs more frequently among patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Because many affected children are asymptomatic, serological screening is important for early detection. Objective: To determine the seroprevalence of CD among children with T1DM in Karbala using anti-tissue transglutaminase (anti-tTG) antibodies and to identify associated clinical factors. Patients and Methods: This prospective study included children with T1DM attending the diabetic clinic at Karbala Pediatric Teaching Hospital from July 2014 to January 2015. All participants underwent serological screening for CD using serum anti-tTG antibodies. Demographic, clinical, anthropometric, and laboratory characteristics were evaluated. Results: Ninety-seven children with T1DM were enrolled, with a mean age of 10.5 years (range: 2–16 years). Anti-tTG antibodies were positive in 13 patients, yielding a seroprevalence of 13.4%. Seropositive patients had significantly lower HbA1c and hemoglobin levels (p=0.03 and p=0.01, respectively). Gastrointestinal symptoms, particularly chronic diarrhea, were significantly more frequent among seropositive children (p=0.001), as were other autoimmune diseases (p=0.03). No significant associations were observed with demographic or anthropometric characteristics, infant feeding pattern, or timing of gluten introduction. Conclusion: CD seropositivity was relatively common among children with T1DM. Routine serological screening using anti-tTG antibodies may facilitate early identification of CD in this high-risk population.