Serology‐based criteria for adult coeliac disease have excellent accuracy across the range of pre‐test probabilities

Summary

Background

The revised paediatric criteria for coeliac disease allow omission of duodenal biopsies in symptomatic children who have specific serology and coeliac disease‐associated genetics. It remains unclear whether this approach is also applicable for adults with various clinical presentations.

Aim

To evaluate the accuracy of serology‐based criteria in adults with variable pre‐test probabilities for coeliac disease.

Methods

Three study cohorts comprised adults with high‐risk clinical coeliac disease suspicion (n = 421), moderate‐risk family members of coeliac disease patients (n = 2357), and low‐risk subjects from the general population (n = 2722). Serological and clinical data were collected, and "triple criteria" for coeliac disease comprised transglutaminase 2 antibodies >10× the upper limit of normal, positive endomysium antibodies, and appropriate genetics without requirement of symptoms. The diagnosis was based on intestinal biopsy.

Results

The diagnosis of coeliac disease was established in 274 subjects. Of these, 59 high‐risk subjects, 17 moderate‐risk subjects, and 14 low‐risk subjects fulfilled the "triple criteria". All had histologically proven coeliac disease, giving the criteria a positive predictive value of 100%. Altogether, 90 (33%) of all 274 newly diagnosed patients could have avoided biopsy, including 37% among high‐risk, 20% among moderate‐risk, and 48% among low‐risk patients. No histological findings other than coeliac disease were found in the biopsies of "triple positive" subjects.

Conclusions

Coeliac disease can reliably and safely be diagnosed without biopsy in adults fulfilling the "triple criteria" regardless of the pre‐test probability. Revised criteria would enable the number of endoscopies to be reduced by one‐third.

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