Celiac disease prevalence is not increased in patients with functional dyspepsia.

BACKGROUND - Previous evidence trying to assess the risk of celiac disease among dyspeptic patients has been inconclusive, showing in some cases notorious discrepancies. OBJECTIVE - To determine the prevalence of celiac disease in patients with dyspepsia compared to healthy controls without dyspepsia. METHODS - Adult patients under evaluation for dyspepsia were invited to participate. These patients were offered an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with duodenal biopsies. On the other hand, asymptomatic adult volunteers who performed a preventive visit to their primary care physician were invited to participate and agreed to undertake an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with duodenal biopsies as well. Those patients with histologic signs of villous atrophy were furtherly evaluated and serological tests were performed in order to determine celiac disease diagnosis. Celiac disease prevalence was compared between groups. RESULTS - Overall, 320 patients with dyspepsia and 320 healthy controls were recruited. There were no significant differences in terms of gender or age between groups. Celiac disease diagnosis was made in 1.25% (4/320) of patients in the dyspepsia group versus 0.62% (2/320) in the control group. CONCLUSION - Patients with dyspepsia who underwent routine duodenal biopsies did not show an increased risk for celiac disease when compared to healthy individuals.