Affiliations: [a] Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran | [b] Caspian Digestive Diseases Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran | [c] GI Cancer Screening and Prevention Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran | [d] Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, Microbiology and Virology Unit, University Hospital of Bari, Bari, Italy | [e] Medical Student, University Hospital of Bari, Bari, Italy
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Fariborz Mansour-Ghanaei, Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran. Razi Hospital, Sardar-Jangle Ave., P.O. Box: 41448-95655, Rasht, Iran. Tel.: +98 1315535116; Fax: +98 1315534951; E-mail: fmansourghanaei@gmail.com.
Note: [1] Farahnaz Joukar and Sara Yeganeh have contributed equally to this paper and are considered co-first authors.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Celiac disease (CD) is a common cause of malabsorption that is definitively diagnosed by abnormal bowel biopsy, symptoms and histologic changes to gluten free diet. The symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are common in our community as the majority of people in Guilan, in the north of Iran, consume rice daily. Also, a number of celiac patients are unknown, and IBS are mistakenly diagnosed. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of CD among IBS patients. METHODS: A total of 475 consecutive patients with IBS, confirmed by Rome IV, underwent celiac serological tests antitissue transglutaminase antibodies (IgA-tTG, IgG-tTG) after obtaining a written consent form. In case of positive serological tests, biopsy was performed from small intestine after endoscopy RESULTS: Thirty-one (6.53%, 95% CI: 4.55–9.22) patients were positive for celiac serology. Based on Marsh-Oberhuber criteria, out of 9 patients with positive pathology 77.78% (95% CI: 40.19–96.05) had marsh IIIc. In IBS patients cramp (0.009) and stomach fullness (0.021) were two statistically significant IBS symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest physicians to consider celiac examinations for all patients with IBS symptoms, even for patients with no obvious celiac symptoms.
