Epidemiology of pediatric celiac disease in two Health Areas of Asturias (Spain)

Abstract

Introduction and aims: Over the last few decades, it has been reported an increase in the incidence of celiac disease (CD) and a predominance of less symptomatic clinical presentations. This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics of CD in the paediatric population of two health areas of Asturias and to estimate its incidence.

Patients and methods: Observational, prospective, multicentre study of patients from health areas III (Avilés) and V (Gijón) included in the Spanish Registry of Paediatric Celiac Patients REPAC2 (2011-2017). Demographic data, symptoms, somatometry and diagnostic tests were collected. The incidence rate was calculated using the municipal register. ESPGHAN 2020 diagnostic criteria were used for the descriptive study and incidence calculation, and ESPGHAN 2012 criteria were used for the comparative analysis with the rest of Spain.

Results: 99 patients (50.5% girls) were included: 72 from area V and 27 from area III. Median age: 3.1 years (P25-P75: 1.6-7.7). The most frequent clinical presentation was classic CD (76.8%), whereas 2.0% were asymptomatic. The most frequent symptoms were failure to thrive (55.7%) and diarrhoea (49.5%). Compared with the rest of Spain (4681 patients), Asturias (82 patients) had fewer asymptomatic patients (2.4% vs. 9.8%, p=0.026) and fewer biopsies performed (28% vs. 62.1%, p<0.001). The incidence rate of CD based on hospital diagnoses according to ESPGHAN 2020 criteria was 32.1 (95%CI: 26.1-39.1) per 100,000 person-years.

Conclusions: Geographic differences were identified in the presentation and diagnosis of CD, with a higher incidence compared to previous studies.