Sensibility to gluten is a condition with high immunological reaction against gluten proteins from wheat, barley, rye and oats in individuals genetically susceptible. Celiac disease is its most frequent expression with various forms of clinical presentation. The treatment consists in gluten free diet. Although the biopsy of proximal small bowel is necessary, the importance of serological tests is increasing in the screening, diagnosis and monitoring of gluten free diet in celiac patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of antiendomysium (EmA-IgA) and anti-reticulin (ARA-IgA) antibodies in 56 celiac patients (17 at diagnosis, 24 adherent to the diet and 15 with transgression to the diet). The antibodies were detected by indirect immunofluorescence, using human umbilical cord as substrate for the EmA-IgA and rat liver and kidney for the ARA-IgA. In the patients at diagnosis and in the group with transgression to the diet the total positivity was 100% for EmA-IgA and 59.4% for ARA-IgA. Antibodies were not detected in gluten-free diet patients. Among the 32 positive patients, the concordance of both tests was of 59.4% (19/32), being 40,6% (13/32) negative to ARA-IgA and positive to EmA-IgA. No patient was positive for ARA-IgA and negative for EmA-IgA. Thus, the sensitivity for EmA-IgA was of 100% and 59,4% for ARA-IgA. The association of the two tests did not improve the positivity in the samples. In conclusion, EmA-IgA can be considered the best serological test for diagnosis and follow up of celiac patients, because it presents high predictive value, high specificity and sensibility and is not expensive if using human umbilical cord as substrate.
Celiac disease; Gluten; Antiendomysium antibodies; Antireticulin antibodies
