Features of children with positive celiac serology and type 1 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

© 2015 Japan Pediatric Society. Prior studies have reported disparate clinical presentations between children with celiac disease and type 1 diabetes mellitus and those with celiac disease alone. Studies focusing on differences in endoscopic and histopathological findings, however, are limited. We reviewed children aged 2-18 years, presenting for an initial evaluation between January 2000 and December 2010. Data on medical history, serologic markers, upper endoscopy, and histopathology were collected. Only the children with positive celiac serology who had upper endoscopy performed within 3 months of the initial visit were included. We identified 294 children who fulfilled the criteria, 21 of whom had diagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus. Diabetic children were more likely to have absence of gastrointestinal symptoms. Erythematous duodenal and esophageal mucosa on endoscopy, and histopathology suggestive of reflux esophagitis were more common in the diabetes group. Diabetic children with positive celiac serology had different histopathological features as compared with their non-diabetic counterparts.