Prevalence of Celiac Disease in Adult Patients with Iron Deficiency Anemia of Obscure Origin

Abstract

Iron deficiency anemia can be the only presentable symptom for the patient. The best treatment of iron deficiency anemia due to celiac disease is a gluten free diet to restore villous architecture and restore the absorption of iron. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of celiac disease in adult patients with iron-deficiency anemia of obscure origin. The study was designed as a cross sectional study. It included 100 patients with obscure iron deficiency anemia. Every participant was subjected to the following: Full history of gastrointestinal symptoms of CD e.g. abdominal pains, diarrhea, steatorrhea, abdominal distension, constipation, vomiting, loss of weight), Age of onset of iron deficiency anemia, Complete blood picture, Serum iron, serum ferritin, transferrin saturation, Anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody immunoglobuline A, Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and duodenal biopsy to patients who had positive serology, Duodenal biopsies were classified according to Modified Marsh classification. The present study showed that 8% of cases with iron deficiency anemia of obscure origin were ultimately diagnosed as cases of celiac diseases while 47% were diagnosed according to duodenal biopsy as potential celiac disease (where there was positive serology and intact villous architecture according to marsh classification) and 45%of cases were non-celiac disease.